APC Crisis: Gov Mai Mala Buni’s Loyalists Rage Over Adamu’s Comments

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new twist as loyalists of the party’s former caretaker committee chairman and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, have lambasted the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, over recent allegations he made against Buni.

The Publisher Nigeria recalls that Adamu had in a press conference accused the former caretaker committee of leaving N7.5 billion debts on legal fees alone when he took over the affairs of the party.

 

Adamu had said: “There were more than 200 staff on the payroll and during the audit we had to query where these number of people work. They went to the media that we can’t pay salary of staff just to blackmail us.”

It was gathered that the comments made by the APC National Chairman have unsettled governors, senators, and other leaders of the party, who were members of the Buni-led caretaker committee.

Speaking to Saturday Sun, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) said Adamu’s outburst may further escalate the crisis rocking the party since the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the APC.

Leaking Sensitive Dirty Dealings

While revealing that the APC Chairman intends to release the comprehensive report of the audit committee he set up when he assumed office, the source said Adamu’s end game is unknown, as no member of the NWC was consulted before the weighty revelations were made public.

The NWC member stated that Adamu intends to make public the alleged financial misappropriation, lack of due process, and other unethical conduct by the Buni-led caretaker committee.

He said loyalists to state governors and staff of the party might repay Adamu by leaking sensitive dirty dealings of the party to the media in the coming days.

The source said Buni and his loyalists, who are still rooting for Adamu’s replacement, are expected to hold an expanded meeting, where the issues raised will be tabled.

He said: “Our national chairman making such unguarded statements at the peak of our campaign is reckless. The party is trying to reconcile everyone. Yet, the chairman is fighting personal battles.

“Can’t he wait until after the elections to implement the audit report? Why sack staff now when they’re needed during the campaign to fix things? Who is advising Adamu?

“He’s acting like a sole administrator and no one can call him to order. The party needs to find a way to dismiss those media reports. Otherwise, the opposition will have enough to nail us with as we approach the elections.”

The spokesman of the party, Felix Morka, could not be reached for comments. Notwithstanding, another NWC member who spoke to Saturday Sun, said: “Journalists should have asked Adamu to explain more when he made those allegations. The party hasn’t commented on this issue. The issues raised are grave and they were unexpected from the national chairman of the party.

“APC NWC members are reviewing the various documents to understand what informed the allegations by Adamu. These matters and the allegations are criminal.

“When NWC members are done studying the details of the various reports by the transition committees set up, issues raised will be addressed. When Buni took over, he inherited some liabilities from Adams Oshiomhole.

“Oshiomhole too inherited some things from John Odigie Oyegun. That’s how it works. But to openly accused Buni was uncharitable.

“For the records, the over-bloated workforce he’s referring to, Buni didn’t do that. He didn’t recruit. It was Oyegun and Oshiomhole that recruited those staff. It appeara Adamu has some scores to settle with Buni.”

Adamu Deserves Respect

Not willing to back, loyalists of the APC chairman are determined to back, insisting that those against Adamu have something to hide.

A member of the APC National Working Committee from North West tackled governors and other leaders of the party who are unwilling to give Adamu a free hand to reform the party and play an active role in Tinubu’s campaign.

He said: “Adamu has not done anything close to undermining anyone. His views may not always be popular, but he needs to be respected as chairman. We cannot continue to monitor everything he does.

“Elections are coming and the party needs to close ranks if we must win. The chairman has been urged to tone down on granting interviews. The party has a spokesman that will do that job.”