ANPP Crisis: IBB, Kure Implicated
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Like a phantom force in every rowdy situation, former military president, Gen. Ibrahhim Babangida, has again been mentioned as a remote factor in the latest leadership crisis in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He is alleged by top party sources to have influenced the sack of Chief Don Etiebet-led national working committee by the Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa's faction.
The former military leader, who is believed to have his eyes set on the 2007 presidency, also championed a drive to rally other ANPP governors behind Bafarawa in support of Etiebet's removal. To this end, he early last month invited Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima to Minna to solicit his support for Etiebet's removal, for the sake of the North's unity.
Reputed for shadowy but astute political moves towards attaining his presidential ambition, Gen. Babangida was mentioned as a remote factor in the factional crisis that has for long ravaged the Alliance for Democracy (AD), and the controversial northern senators' retreat that was convened across party lines recently in Sokoto.
A highly placed ANPP source told THISDAY that Babangida backed Bafarawa over Etiebet's removal. He reportedly wanted to rein in former military vice president and ANPP board of trustees chairman, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu for the plot. Aikhomu was to sack the Etiebet-led NWC and raise a caretaker commitee under the guise of reconciliation. But Aikhomu was said to have avoided being a part of the plot by telling the IBB-Bafarawa group that he was bereaved and would not be available for a "crucial meeting" slated to hold at that time.
When the ANPP leadership crisis erupted, Babangida despatched Niger State Governor Abdulkadir Kure to Gusau to invite Governor Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara to Minna for a crucial meeting.
Although Yerima attended the meeting with Babangida in Minna, where he spent the night, he reportedly rebuffed the external influence of the former military president.
The source said that Babangida at that meeting accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of hijacking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the South and planning a southern presidential candidate for the party. Yerima was thus asked to support the removal of Etiebet for the sake of northern unity.
It was further said Gen. Babangida argued that the only party that could be used to achieve a northern presidential aspiration is the ANPP, but that the only obstacle is the Etiebet led NWC which he urged must be removed at all cost.
But all entreaties to the Zamfara Governor to support the removal of Etiebet fell on deaf ears, as the source quoted the Governor as saying: "It is in the interest of the party that if Etiebet is found wanting, it is better to investigate his offences and get him removed in line with the constitution of the party." The Governor reportedly added that alternatively, it was better to wait for the expiration of Etiebet's term of office.
In the morning after the meeting, the Zamfara Governor left Minna for Abuja where he disclosed the outcome of his meeting with Babangida and Kure to Etiebet as well as other governors elected on the ANPP platform.
At this stage, the governors felt that Bafarawa was chewing more than he could bite, hence the plot to suspend him in the first instance.
But again on September 8, the national caucus of the party intervened and nullified the suspension of Bafarawa. The Bafarawa group, however, insisted on vengeance, hence they also suspended Etiebet and appointed former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Gen. Jeremiah Useni, as acting chairman.
Also, on September 9 when the committee set up by the national caucus to tell Bafarawa that his suspension has been nullified returned to Abuja, Babangida again sent Kure to meet with the Zamfara Governor, urging his support for the plot to remove Etiebet.
But since the ANPP governors could not achieve a unanimous decision to remove Etiebet, they shifted the venue of their meeting to Mecca, during their Lesser Hajj (Ummral). Yet at the meeting, Bafarawa could not get the understanding of his fellow governors.
Hence another crucial meeting was planned for Monday, September 27 in Abuja because all the governors were expected to attend the National Council of State meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 28.
The Monday night meeting was expected to take place in Aikhomu's house in Maitama, Abuja, but the ANPP board of trustees chairman sent words that he was bereaved and therefore could not attend. It was at this stage that the ANPP governors decided to hold a meeting among themselves at the Yobe State Governor's Lodge.
THISDAY gathered that Bafarawa attended the meeting with a three-point demand which includes setting up a caretaker committee under a presidential aspirant from the Southeast, withdrawal of policemen from the party secretariat, or the adoption of General Useni as the acting chairman. The Governors of Kebbi, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Kano and the Deputy Governor of Jigawa who represented his Governor rejected all the three demands. At this stage, Bafarawa stormed out of the meeting.
The Zamfara Governor followed him to the Sokoto State Governor's Lodge where General Useni, Brigadier-General Bashir Magashi, Yusuf Ali and John Nwodo were waiting for Bafarawa.
At the Sokoto Governor's Lodge, Yerima and Bafarawa went into another round of meeting. It was there that the Zamfara Governor told Bafarawa that there was no way the other ANPP governors would allow him have his way. He also confided in him that the governors are strongly in support of Etiebet. Bafarawa was also told that he couldn't work with Useni, as Useni has his own agenda.
The source said the Sokoto Governor was also told by Yerima that people are aware that what he is doing the bidding of Babangida, and that the North will not accept that.
Besides, the Zamfara Governor told Bafarawa in clear terms that should he continue with what he was doing, that all the six ANPP governors might be forced to back Etiebet to expel him and some of his group from the party.
It was at this stage that Bafarawa "had a change of mind on his plot to remove Etiebet and his executive committee." And it was resolved that John Nwodo should draft the statement which was eventually accepted and signed by all the governors calling for a truce.
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