APC National Secretary slot and Taraba’s ‘legitimate’ claim

All may not be well with the All Progressives Congress (APC), as members of the party in Taraba State are alleging marginalisation over the seeming refusal of the party to elect one of their own into the position of the General Secretary of the party.

The party’s position follows the election of the former National Secretary of the APC, Mr. Mai Mala Buni to the position of the Governor of Yobe State and they now believe that based on the outcome of the last party congress that produced the last national officers of the party, the position of the national secretary should come to Taraba State.

The party has therefore written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to urge him to intervene in the matter, after all attempts to make the party leadership see reason in that regards.

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In the letter signed by the State Chairman of the party, Ibrahim Tukur El Sudi Esq, and endorsed by nine elders of the party in the state, the party noted that, “the first condition of nature is justice and that very idea that every man deserves what is due to him has been the fulcrum which every civilized society revolves around.

“The search for justice is at the heart of the ruling all progressives congress’s search for a substantive National Secretary to replace the erstwhile Scribe H.E. Mai Mala Buni who resigned the position in February in accordance with the APC Constitution to contest the governorship of Yobe State which he eventually won.

“More than six months after Mai Mala vacated the office, the National Working Committee is still in search of a worthy successor to occupy the office and many contenders have staked their claims as to their eligibility for the coveted position.”

Amongst these contenders, the party leaders said, the case of Barr. M.B Mustapha has been most compelling and unassailable, being a core-Buharist and loyal party man.

“Barr. Mustapha has not only paid his dues in contributing to the formation, survival and electoral successes of our great party, but is also the most deserving, prepared and competent candidate to fill the office of the next national secretary of our great party by virtue of his antecedents and visionary streak.”

The party noted that the Ahmadu Bello University trained lawyer cut his teeth in student union politics and has in the ensuing years become a political heavy weight in his native Taraba State and North Eastern Nigeria as a whole. He was the pioneer National Youth Leader of The Buhari Organization (TBO) and the Congress for Progressive Change‘s (CPC Gubernatorial Candidate) Taraba State 2011 general elections.

“During the presidential elections in 2011, he held forte for President Muhammadu Buhari in Taraba and North East Region culminating in the resounding successes in the 2015 and 2019 electoral victories which swept the then ruling party, with results from the North East confirming it as the party’s established stronghold.

“It is instructive to note that Barr. MB Mustapha as the Adamawa State Returning Officer for President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) in the 19th April 2003 Presidential and Gubernatorial elections resisted the ‘wiles and machinations of the opposition and convincingly delivered on his brief. His commitment to APC is unwavering and emboldened by his desire to serve in a higher capacity, where he will make greater impact in the service of the party and our fatherland.

“During the last concluded APC National Convention, Barr. M.B Mustapha was one of the front runners for the coveted office of the National Secretary. He was however prevailed upon to step down at the last minute for the eventual winner by chieftains. Leaders and elders of the party which was anchored by H.E Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu himself and acting on their counsel and promises, he eventually stepped down and ended up as the runner up for the office.

“The tenure of his Excellency Mai Mala Buni was short-lived as he eventually contested and won the governorship of Yobe State. The hands of fate has thrown up the office open once again and has now placed Barr MB Mustapha in the reckoning for the position he seems destined to occupy.

The Taraba APC chieftains noted further that when confronted with such scenarios in the past, the party followed some precedents, for instance;” following the disqualification of the Taraba State governorship candidate in the last election by the Supreme Court, the National Chairman of our great party, His Excellency Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman notifying him and the Commission of the replacement of H.E Abubakar Sani Danladi with Prof. Mohamrned Sani Yahaya who was the first Runner up in the last APC Taraba State gubernatorial primaries.

“The same logic was also applied to fill the position of the National Publicity Secretary which was vacated by Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi and replaced by Mr Lanre lssa –Onilu, the runner up at the said convention.

“Previously, the precedent had been successfully applied by the party in Kogi State, where second placed candidate (Runner up) in the governorship primaries H.E Yahaya Bello succeeded the winner Prince Abubakar Audu who passed on after the elections.

“By parity of logic and in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness, it behooves on the party hierarchy to settle for the runner up in the race for the office of National Secretary at the last convention in the person of Barr Mohammed Bello Mustapha as the automatic successor to the erstwhile National Secretary who vacated the said office for a higher calling.

“It is worthy of note that the office of the National Secretary of our great party is zoned to the North East geo -political zone both at the 2014 and 2018 National Conventions respectively and not micro zoned to a particular state in the zone.

“Barr. M.B Mustapha also represents the hopes and aspirations of the good people of Taraba State who have been yearning for equitable representation in the national politics of our great party. It is without doubt that Taraba is unfairly and grossly marginalized by our party despite its enormous contributions to the party’s electoral successes. When compared to other states in the North East geo-political zone like Borno. Bauchi, Adamawa, Yobe and Gombe states, there is a gulf of difference in appointments and representations from those adjoining states as compared to Taraba.

“It makes sense therefore, that the office of National Secretary of our great party be ceded or conceded to Barr MB Mustapha (Taraba) in the spirit of equity, justice, fairness and inclusion, above all strict adherence to due process and doctrine of precedence.”

The party also attached herewith is a five page document detailing proof of the marginalization of Taraba State among the states of the North East, as a evidence that their request was in order.

They added that they see Barr MB Mustapha’s involvement at the top echelon of the party as an opportunity to contribute to the actualization of a laudable national objective in line with the Next Level Agenda of the present administration, as the party Secretariat is the think-tank and engine room of the party and “Barr M.B Mustapha is well placed to work with other likeminded party executives to ensure that our great party is strengthened by the expansion of its electoral promises as enunciated in its Manifesto and Constitution thereby making our country a progressive, harmonious and prosperous nation.

“Indeed, justice will be truly served if the office is left to Barrister Mohammed Bello Mustapha.”

It is believed that though the Taraba State chapter of the APC is following the path of peace in seeking what they believe rightly belongs to them, but it will not be long if they don’t get what they want before they may take on the confrontational approach to seek what they want, and it is believed by some political watchers that the earlier the party hierarchy deals with the issue in the best way possible, the better for everyone.

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It is worthy of note that the office of the National Secretary of our great party is zoned to the North East geo -political zone both at the 2014 and 2018 National Conventions respectively and not micro zoned to a particular state in the zone. Barr. M.B Mustapha also represents the hopes and aspirations of the good people of Taraba State who have been yearning for equitable representation in the national politics of our great party. It is without doubt that Taraba is unfairly and grossly marginalized by our party despite its enormous contributions to the party’s electoral successes