"Fuel subsidy thieves and corrupt businessmen enthroned Saraki and Dogara" – Bisi Akande

The former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, has fingered fuel subsidy thieves, and corrupt businessmen as being behind the current crisis in the APC which culminated in the emergence of Bukola Saraki as senate president and Yakubu Dogara as speaker of the House of Representatives, contrary to the wishes of the ruling party.

In a statement Sunday, the former governor of Osun state said those jittery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s constant threat of anti-corruption battle encouraged and financed the rebellions against the APC democratic positions which led to the emergence of Messrs Saraki and Dogara as candidates of the PDP tendencies inside and outside the APC.

“Before the party knew it, the process had been hijacked by polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a loop-hole for stifling APC government’s efforts in its desire to fight corruption,” Mr. Akande said.

“Most Northern elite, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels, who never liked Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance, are quickly backing up the rebellion against APC with strong support. While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the Southwest see the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

The former governor suggested a way out of the logjam in the party.

He said, “Now that the whole conspiracy has blown open, it is doubtful if the present institutions of party leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest the drift. It is my opinion that President Buhari, and the APC governors should now see APC as a wrecking platform that may not be strong enough again to carry them to political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in its claim to bring about the promised change before the party’s shortcomings begin to aggravate the challenges of governance in their hands.”

Credit: Abdulrahman Abdulmalik/Premium Times