Upset in APC aimed at Buhari

This week, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party was hit by a massive defection of its members. On last count about 15 Senators, 37 Reps members and 1 state governor elected on the platform of the party had defected to opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and the African Democratic Congress.

Although a good number of the defectors were having issues with former party members in their home state, the decision to still defect even when the new party leadership at the centre had shown willingness to broker peace points to the fact that their grievances were deeper and tilted above the state scene.

Take for instance the defection by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State. The APC finds this “somewhat surprising” and rightly so because, not long ago Ortom had met with the new national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, after which he said he was satisfied with the party’s assurances to reconcile him.

In reacting to the event, President Muhammadu Buhari said that none of the defectors “had any specific grievances against him or the government he leads; neither did he harbour anything against any of them.” On the contrary, the relationship with key actors in the defection has never been cordial.

One of those believed to be the brain behind the upset in the APC, Senate President Bukola Saraki, continues to have running battles with appointees of Buhari, such as the chairman Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

While Sagay thinks Saraki is corrupt and unfit to be Senate President, Idris on the other hand, after refusing to appear before the Senate following an embarrassing episode with Senator Dino Melaye is bent on linking Saraki to a robbery incident that took place in April in the Senate President’s home state of Kwara.

There have also been attempts to cast aspersion on Buhari’s leadership. Two weeks ago, Aminu Tambuwal, one of three APC governors reported by TheCable of planning to defect described the incessant killings in Nigeria as “the failure of leadership”, calling for an overhaul of the country’s security system.

In an attempt to save face, the APC chairman has described the defectors as people with little or “no electoral value”, boasting that he won’t “miss a sleep” over their move. If truly the APC was not ruffled by the defection, why did Buhari react differently by calling for a meeting of APC lawmakers?

Though the presidency and the APC leadership are unwilling to accept it but would rather deflect from this obvious truth, the silent treatment that is being given to the president by key actors in the defection – even when the reasons remain unclear – suggests a gang up pointedly directed at Buhari.

Maduekwe is editor at Discussing Africa. He tweets @Ojo_Maduekwe