APC ‘Action Group’ defends Akande

A group which calls itself “the Action Group of the All Progressives Congress” (APC-AG) has defended Bisi Akande, the former interim chairman of the party, over his recent letter which accused some interests of hijacking the national assembly.

Akande had alleged that the new senate president and speaker were sponsored by oil barons and corrupt people, although both have denied the allegation.

The former governor of Osun state also alleged that some sections of the south-west felt there was a conspiracy against the Yoruba in the national assembly leadership elections.

The APC-AG said on Sunday that Akande’s utterances “were those of a sincere leader”.

It is not yet clear if APC-AG is an emerging faction within the party. Action Group was the name of the dominant party in the south-west led by Obafemi Awolowo in the first republic.

In the statement by the APC-AG spokesperson, Segun Dipe, said: “Here is the man (Akande) who steered the ship of our party through the turbulent waters from conception to birth. He did so with sincerity of purpose and great sacrifice that even President Muhammadu Buhari, a man of few words, not given to praise-singing, confessed that he respected Akande’s patriotism while acknowledging how he led the interim party ‘with dexterity and integrity’.

“Party Chairman Chief Odigie Oyegun also admitted that he saw in Chief Akande trustworthiness and sincerity. Is it such a person that would now wish the smooth-sailing ship of the party should capsize?

“When some reckless youths engage in reckless and mindless cutting of a mighty tree, it takes a discerning elder like Chief Akande to see where it would eventually fall and warn of its dire consequences. That exactly is what he is doing and his voice should rather be heeded than criticised.

“Here is a man whose conscience no money can buy. A man of merit whose records are untainted. Isn’t it better and a privilege to have such a person speak out at this early stage of the crisis rather than allowing it to fester and then cash in on it the way some leaders are waiting to do?”

Akande and Bola Tinubu, a senior member of the APC, were both absent at the meeting of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) on Friday which was convened to resolve the crisis.