APC Crisis: Northern Leaders Move To Cut Tinubu To Size

If not handled properly, a brewing supremacy battle between the
dominant Hausa-Fulani bloc of the incoming ruling party, All
Progressives Congress (APC) and the South-West bloc of the party will
snow-ball into a major crisis.

A source within the APC, told Western Post that immediately after the
conclusion of the presidential election, the Northern elements in the
party began covert moves to checkmate the overwhelming influence of
Tinubu.

They were said to be perturbed by Tinubu's domineering attitude and
started moves to cut him to size before he hijacks the party. Tinubu
played a prominent role in the merger that led to the formation of the
APC and the eventual emergence of Buhari as the party's presidential
flag bearer.

The subtle moves to whittle down Tinubu's influence was a carefully
crafted plot by one of the staunch Buhari loyalists, who was recently
elected governor in one of the Northern states.

The architects of the plot are justifying their actions to sideline
Tinubu because they see him as a threat and an obstacle to their plans
of fostering a Northern agenda on the party.

Recently, the Convener, Majeobaje Movement, a Yoruba socio-cultural
group that supported Buhari in the last election, Chief Akintayo
Akin-Deko, spoke of the growing discomfort of the North with Tinubu's
influence.

They were said to be perturbed by Tinubu's domineering attitude and
started moves to cut him to size before he hijacks the party. Tinubu
played a prominent role in the merger that led to the formation of the
APC and the eventual emergence of Buhari as the party's presidential
flag bearer.

The subtle moves to whittle down Tinubu's influence was a carefully
crafted plot by one of the staunch Buhari loyalists, who was recently
elected governor in one of the Northern states.

The architects of the plot are justifying their actions to sideline
Tinubu because they see him as a threat and an obstacle to their plans
of fostering a Northern agenda on the party.

Recently, the Convener, Majeobaje Movement, a Yoruba socio-cultural
group that supported Buhari in the last election, Chief Akintayo
Akin-Deko, spoke of the growing discomfort of the North with Tinubu's
influence.

Akin-Deko said: "Already, we are getting complaints from the Federal
level that there is a threat to Yorubalize National politics".

Political watchers have before now predicted a clash of interests
between the two factions in the party, saying the Buhari-led northern
faction, which is historically conservative and believes in
maintaining the present old order, which favours them, while the
South-west bloc, led by Tinubu, has always been progressive-minded.

Others say Buhari's silence on the need to restructure the country
speaks volumes about his resolve to carry on promoting the Northern
agenda in running the country.

There are insinuations that Tinubu and the Yoruba APC leaders may have
played into the hands of Buhari and the Northern'hawks', who had never
hidden their desire to capture power by all means. They are now set to
scheme out the Tinubu group and ultimately incapacitate them
politically.

Meanwhile, there are strong indications that the South-East
geopolitical zone might be sidelined in the zoning formula of the APC
as regards the position of Secretary to the Government (SGF) of the
Federation because of Tinubu's endorsement of Chief Audu Ogbehfor the
position.
--Naij.com