An Edo APC Chieftain, Mr. John Mayaki, today, laid the blames for the party’s recent struggles, including a crushing defeat in Osun State with the ouster of incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola, at the feet of President Muhammadu Buhari whom he accused of negligent management of party activities and ‘suicidal’ tolerance of anti-party activities within the ranks.
Mayaki who chaired the Media Council of the Edo APC in the 2020 Governorship election, in a statement, noted that although the President’s non-interference through the infamous ‘federal might’ represents a good development for the country’s democracy, it still doesn’t excuse the observed “abandonment of his obligations as the leader of the party who ought to be spearheading efforts to unite the ranks, enforce loyalty, and expand political control.”
He warned that unless the President changes tact, his ‘look the other way’ approach to party issues may complicate the party’s chances in 2023.
“The anti-party activities of top ranking APC members, governors and Ministers under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is to blame for the electoral misfortune of the party in Edo and Osun states.
“Poor reward system of the party and that of the president, if not checked, could impact negatively on the party just as the ‘I don’t care attitude’ of Mr. President as a party man.
The president is the leader of the party and he doesn’t appear concerned if the party collapses under his watch.
“In Edo State, we have a deformed Assembly lacking the inclusion of the majority because duly elected members are yet to be inaugurated.
Mr. President has shown no serious concern about this dangerous development, despite the fact that the affected parties are all members of the party he leads.
“Under President Buhari, APC governors worked against the party in Edo state similar to how figures in his cabinet have been fingered in the loss of Osun state.
But Mr. President won’t lift a finger to either reprimand these party saboteurs, instead he signals tolerance that further emboldens them”, the statement added.
Mayaki also criticized President Buhari’s refusal to sack non-performing members of his cabinet and government who, according to him, have shown themselves incapable of bringing an end to the insecurity that plagues the country.
He urged bold management, advising the President to learn party leadership from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Meanwhile, Mayaki has encouraged the APC members in Osun State to learn the necessary lessons from the defeat and work harder toward delivering Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in next year Presidential election.
He also warned the PDP not to “delude themselves into believing that taking Osun means winning the presidency as it is a different ball game entirely.”