APC CRISIS DEEPENS IN BAUCHI AS RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE FAILS TO END DISPUTE
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
The crisis within the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State has escalated after the party’s national fact-finding and reconciliation committee failed to resolve disputes stemming from the recent state congress.
The Media reports that the committee, headed by the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, was tasked by National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda to engage with the newly elected state executives and address grievances from the congress.
However, Thursday’s reconciliation meeting at the party secretariat in Bauchi ended without a resolution, amid confusion and rising tensions.
The dispute centres largely on the position of State Secretary, with one faction insisting that Mustapha Zurami emerged as the duly elected secretary, while another group maintains that Alhaji Aminu Na’iya Mohammed is the rightful occupant of the office.
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The crisis has been further compounded by allegations that some governorship aspirants are backing different factions in a bid to influence the party’s leadership structure.
Addressing party members at the secretariat, Prof. Kana disclosed that he was unable to hold a proper meeting with the State Executive Committee (EXCO) as initially planned.
“I came to meet with the EXCO, but I did not get the opportunity to do that. I will return to Abuja and brief the National Chairman and the National Working Committee accordingly,” he said.
The meeting was disrupted by a large crowd that gathered at the secretariat following speculation that the committee had arrived to inaugurate a fresh set of party officials.
Prof. Kana cited security concerns for the inability to proceed with the engagement, adding that the environment was not conducive to meaningful dialogue.
“This was meant to be a meeting with EXCO, not an open gathering. When the situation became unsafe, there was no point continuing,” he added.
He further warned that failure to resolve the lingering issues could affect Bauchi State’s participation in the party’s forthcoming national convention.
“If the issues surrounding the state EXCO are not resolved, the Bauchi delegation may not be eligible to participate. However, once the disputes are settled, the state will be cleared,” he explained.
Speaking on the development, a former member of the House of Representatives for Bauchi Federal Constituency, Hon. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, attributed the commotion to rumours of a fresh swearing-in ceremony.
“The executives had already been inaugurated on Wednesday and widely reported. When people heard there was going to be another swearing-in, they became agitated and trooped to the secretariat,” he said.
Following clarification by the committee that no fresh swearing-in was planned, efforts were made to calm the situation, allowing only EXCO members and committee officials to proceed with a brief closed-door meeting.
However, the session lasted only a few minutes and ended without any resolution, as both factions maintained their positions.
Attempts by journalists to obtain comments from committee members and party officials after the meeting were unsuccessful, as they declined to speak.
It would be recalled that the Bauchi State chapter of the APC on Wednesday inaugurated 36 newly elected State Executive Council members, with Alhaji Muhammad Hassan Tilde sworn in as State Chairman.
The oath of office was administered at the party secretariat by Barrister Abdulmumini Adamu, with certificates presented to the officials.
Out of the 36 elected officers, 29 were sworn in, while seven were absent.
Those inaugurated include State Chairman Muhammad Hassan Tilde; State Secretary Mustapha Zurami; Zonal Vice Chairmen Yusuf Kawu Gana II and Ibrahim Ahmad (Zone III); Legal Adviser Barr. Rabiu Garba; and Publicity Secretary Shehu Dauda Mohammed, among others.
However, the faction that was absent at the swearing-in insists that Alhaji Aminu Na’iya Mohammed remains the legitimate State Secretary, alongside other contested positions, further deepening the internal rift.
Despite the intervention of the national committee, the crisis remains unresolved, raising concerns over unity within the party ahead of future political activities.
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