A fresh crisis is brewing in the ranks of Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) with at least four state governors prepared for battle with the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
The state governors: Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara; Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, whose grievances border on the mode of primaries and automatic tickets issued to some serving senators, have either directly or through their surrogates attacked Oshiomhole.
These governors, sometimes acting through their APC state chairpersons, have accused the national leadership of the party of imposition of candidates.
Some have also kicked against the mode of primaries adopted for their various states by then party headquarters.
On Tuesday, the national secretariat of the APC released a list of ‘cleared’ aspirants in a move to grant automatic tickets to some senators whom the party described as ‘loyal’, a move that has further worsened the frosty relationship between the governors and Oshiomhole.
The action has affected cronies of governors warming up to dislodge senators allegedly at loggerheads with their governors.
The governors had insisted that party primaries be held to determine the party’s flag-bearer in the 2019 senatorial poll instead of the automatic endorsement of incumbent senators.