The demolition of the factional All Progressives Congress (APC) Secretariat by the Kaduna State Government has continued to generate controversy within the party.
President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly displeased by the move as it could derail the work of the APC reconciliation committee headed by National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, The Independent reported.
Buhari penultimate week announced the setting up of the committee to reconcile warring members of the APC in a move believed to be geared towards strengthening the party structure ahead of the 2019 election.
It is in this light that the demolition of the office located at 11B, Sambo Road, Kaduna purportedly on the orders of Governor Nasir el-Rufai has left President Buhari “unhappy”, a source in the presidency was quoted by the Independent as saying.
The undisclosed source said, “As a member of this party, I must tell you that the presidency is unhappy with what is happening in Kaduna State and what they perceived as the insensitiveness of the state governor towards handling the issues he has with his rivals in Kaduna State.
“The president has a reason for setting up the reconciliation committee headed by Asiwaju Tinubu. Given what has happened in the past, many thought the former Lagos governor will reject it but he accepted to undertake the task in the interest of the party and respect for the president. He has already set the ball in motion and is already meeting with the affected stakeholders and we are seeing the positive results.
“We expect Governor el-Rufai to have done the same no matter how provoked he may be. Yesterday’s (Tuesday) action has further widened the gulf between stakeholders in the Kaduna APC family and it will be extremely difficult for the Tinubu committee to bring them on the same page.
“The issue has gone beyond Kaduna State. Don’t forget that the National Assembly has already waded into the matter. Before you know it, this may mar all the progress we have made so far and the election is already here.
“Here is a man who never showed interest in becoming the governor of Kaduna State. The president convinced him to run and to demonstrate his commitment, he went to Kaduna and raised his hands. Recently, the governor also said the president has endorsed his bid for another term. We expect him to also support the president’s reelection bid too not just by words but through actions.
“While he may have his genuine reasons for pulling down the structure, they believe he should have exercised some restraint as such actions will not only exacerbate the crisis, but it may also affect the fortunes of the party in the state.”
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