At least two powerful ministers of Muhammadu Buhari have issues with their state chapters of the All Progresives Congress and they tend to face very severe opposition within the party come 2023.
As the country moves closer to the 2023 general elections, every politician is looking for ways to stand firmer and hold more influence so as not to take the backseat after the election. But the ministers are facing a tough time back at home.
The first minister facing problems or challenges to his leadership is Mr. Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He has been having an issue with certain groups and factions within the All Progresives Congress (APC).
Originally, Mr. Akpabio is a great leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was the governor of the state for eight years under the platform of the PDP but he later defected when the PDP was in crises.
In the same Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio is facing a stiff opposition from a faction loyal to John Akpanudoedehe, who is the current national secretary to the APC caretaker committee. He is powerful enough to upset Godswill Akpabio.
As reported by the online newspaper, Premium Times, the faction loyal to Akpabio met in Uyo last month, and in the meeting, the minister was declared leader of the APC in Akwa Ibom State. It is a norm to make such a declaration, but not everyone will accept it.
But the second faction met on Sunday, 11 April, 2021 and it was in the meeting convened that the declaration on Akpabio was nullified. The faction said that Akpabio isn’t the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom. The meeting had several personalities including Ita Enang, special adviser to Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs and the sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The other minister with issue at home is Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation. It has not been easy for the Rivers State chapter of the APC since 2014. It’s been a problem over another.
Initially the party faced a series of legal tussles that disallowed it from presenting valid candidates for the 2015 and 2019 general elections. This made it far easier for the PDP to emerge.
But the Supreme Court has put the issue to an end with its decision that Amaechi’s faction is the authentic leader of the APC in Rivers State. Nevertheless, that’s not the end of the problems.
Mr. Magnus Abe had last week launched some verbal attacks on Rotimi Amaechi. After his faction has got victory at the Supreme Court, Mr. Amaechi said that it was the riverine area that would produce the next governor of the state.
But Abe, a former member of the House of Senate, critically responded with a Savage. He said that Amaechi had no right to unilaterally decide on which part or area of Rivers State would have the APC ticket, and possibly product next governor of the state.
Abe said, “If you just stand and carry a microphone and begin to zone and unzone, everybody knows what you are doing. And so long as it is singularly done, I want to stand here and say that it will not work.”
