Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, after underground moves penultimate week came out in the open to lure the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors to their fold. The seven governors, otherwise referred to as the G7, are part of the PDP leaders that pulled out of the party's mini-convention in August to form the new PDP.
The open approach of the APC leadership to invite serving governors of the ruling party to the opposition party came as a surprise to many political watchers who perceived that it was a confirmation that the opposition had been actually fuelling the crisis in the PDP.
In a visit to the states of the seven aggrieved governors, the leaders of the APC did not pretend in tabling their request that they were needed in their fold. The first visit was to Kano, Jigawa and Adamawa where the party high-power delegation met with Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Admiral Murtala Nyako.
From there they proceeded to Sokoto, Niger, Rivers and Kwara. In these states, the APC leaders were received by tumultuous crowds and the governors were on ground to receive them with fanfare at the various airports, an indication that the governors approved of their visit.
The APC leaders said they were ready to provide soft-landing to the distressed governors who they alleged had been vilified. When they visited Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the APC helmsmen threw an open invitation to the Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and the people of Rivers to join and support the party.
At a political rally which was held at the Rivers State Government House, the APC delegation included former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, former military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, the APC Interim National Chairman, Bisi Akande, National Secretary, Lai Mohammed as well as the National Vice- Chairman South-South (APC) and former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Tom Ikimi.
Thousands of Amaechi supporters, members of the National Assembly and chairmen of all local government areas in the state also thronged the rally, singing his praise and reaffirming their support for the embattled governor.
The leader of the state's chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Chimbiko Akarolo, in his speech, declared the councils' support for Amaechi, saying "Wherever he goes, that is where we are going to go".
Taking turns to address the crowd, the APC leaders showered encomiums on the Rivers governor. Akande commended his courage and brilliance while Tinubu refered to him as a visionary who has performed extremely well in fighting for the rights of his people. He said "a man who stands to be cheated is not a man but a pig".
Speaking further on the validity of his party's proposition, he encouraged Amaechi to consider APC's offer saying, "this is a mission to rescue Nigeria from polarisation, division, intimidation and oppression." Ikimi on his part eulogised the values of the APC as the better option for Amaechi.
He claimed that the party provided 'balance of power' and an alternative platform for Nigerians. Amaechi promised that he would embark on consultations with his fellow G7 Governors, the APC leaders and the Nigerian President before responding to APC's request to join the party.
Last Wednesday, the APC leaders moved to Niger State and at a reception held for them in Minna, Buhari told the crowd that the party was on a rescue mission and would need the involvement of all progressives in its bid to move the country forward. Governor Aliyu told the APC leaders that he remained a member of the ruling PDP but pointed out that the G7 governors were still meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.
"The outcome of the negotiations will determine where we will pitch our tent," he said. At a visit to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, in Ilorin, the APC leaders renewed their call on the G7 Governors and members of the new PDP) to join them.
The delegation made up of Akande, Buhari and Tinubu met Kwara State Governor, members of the House of Assembly, PDP leaders and others. Other APC chieftains on the entourage included former governors of Edo and Benue states, Chiefs John Odigie-Oyegun and George Akume; former House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari; APC's Interim National Publicity Secretary Mohammed'; former Works minister, Hassan Lawal and another ex-minister, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe.
The APC leaders did not mince words on their mission: to woo Ahmed into the progressives' camp. Speaking on the occasion, Akande said : "I am at home and I don't think I should have to perambulate too much, except to say that we've come to Kwara State through the governor to invite first, all of you to our party, the All Progressives Congress and secondly, we are not limiting our visits to the members of the new PDP, which they call the G-7; we are extending the visit to all the other governors and all the other members of the PDP because we are starting a revolution that will make us a country of the progressives." Buhari said since the PDP government had been in the saddle, nothing had improved in the lives of Nigerians.
Ahmed, in his response, described Nigeria as "basking in residual superstition", adding that, "we are at the turning point in the history of this country, not forgetting the fact that Nigeria has come of age". Ahmed added that "today, as it is, the APC has formed itself into a strong, formidable platform. They are in Kwara on a marketing activity.
What makes Kwara unique is simply because we have established structure, formed over a period of four decades of hard work and dedication to the people of Kwara State; selflessly delivered by our late political leader, Dr Olusola Saraki. This has led us into inheriting what we call an election-winning machinery.
This machinery has been directing every election in the state over the years. "I want to commend the leadership of the APC. You have come here to share with us your aspirations for Nigeria. You are aware we are still under the leadership of the PDP, which is undergoing serious challenges today and reconciliation is still ongoing. Clear areas of differences are being critically reviewed.
We hope that the interest of this country will take precedent over and above any self interest. Be assured that we will always have a common platform for growth and development. In Kwara, we are one party, one family and that is what has kept us together. That will continue to sustain us. In Kano, the APC chieftains met with Kwankwaso at the Governor's Office, before departing for Dutse. Speaking in Kano, Akande, who lamented the persecution of the seven governors, said they were being intimidated for their commitment to a worthy cause.
He said: "We decided to come to you to 'solidarise' with you because we know you are of great minds; and that is why some of you are being persecuted in your political party. Wherever small minds are in power, great minds are persecuted.
So in recognition of this, in this wisdom, the leaders of the APC decided to come and lure you to join the progressive party." The APC chairman added: "We are proud to showcase our own party, the APC, as a platform and a soft ground for great minds like you; and for that reason, we decided to come and let you know that we have plenty rooms in APC for great minds. Our coming to Kano has shown us the tremendous transformation that has taken place in Kano metropolis.
"These are the type of things we want governors of APC to be able to do just like the ones in Lagos, Edo, Osun, Ekiti and everywhere and when we see this development in Kano, we are always proud of you. On behalf of my party, the APC, Mr. Governor, we are here as campaigners in politics, which is not about individuals. It is about the unity and progress of Nigeria.
We invite you to look favourably to our party." Buhari said the APC leaders were in Kano to woo Kwankwaso, saying that the mission is justifiable. He said: "We are in Kano to lure you into APC and I am also here with my colleagues, and the governors from other states, to convince you firstly, that we feel very uncomfortable about Kano not coming along with us.
"We are here on a tough and ruthless recruitment drive; we are a people-oriented party and our concern is about our people and Nigeria. What APC is fundamentally going to do is to secure and effectively manage this country when we secure power."
Buhari hailed Kwankwaso for his courage, alertness and determination to succeed, noting that he bounced back to power after he was ousted in a general election. "I want to assure you that you are coming to a place you rightfully belong," he added. Kwankwaso said he was surprised that the APC leadership could send such a powerful delegation to invite him into the party.
His words:: "We have listened to you very attentively; we have heard what you said and I feel elated that people of these calibre sat down and decided to visit us for this purpose; this shows that we are important. "Immediately you leave this place, I will sit down with the stakeholders because this party belongs to all of us.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement is not a one-man show. No member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement does it alone. We are working as a team and this team is strong and capable enough to win elections in 2015. By the grace of God, our group will continue to grow from strength to strength.
"If you are expecting me to say yes or no to your offer now, you will not get it because we have to sit down as one family and weigh the challenges; and at the end of the day, we will communicate you through General Buhari." In Dutse, Akande told Lamido to "please come and join the race because you are not where you belong to".
He added: "Leave the PDP and join the APC where you will have better opportunity to achieve your aims." The APC leaders' visit, Akande said, "is not for you as Lamido or for our personal benefit, rather for the rescue of the people and the country."
Lamido described the visit as a family reunion because they were together years back in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and committed to working for the general public. The governor said, "PDP is sick; this journey is a difficult one and will generate lots of issues".
He added: "This is the beginning of the process and I'm ready to move with anyone concerned with the progress and betterment of the common man and country. He added: "I believe in Nigeria and I'm enthusiastic about the fact that Gen. Buhari, of all people, came personally to woo me to APC." Lamido said what is worrisome to him is that Nigerians don't have that trust and confidence in their leaders any longer.
He added that it would not "be out of place if someone will join hands with like minds to restore the lost glory of the nation." Many PDP leaders have described the move by the APC as not in good faith.
The PDP, through a statement from its National Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said it was not perturbed by the development. The PDP accused APC of 'poaching' the G7 governors by 'desperately coaxing' them. The PDP, in the statement, lampooned the APC, describing the group as a "hypocritical party, lacking in genuine ideology and principles."
Speaking with Sunday Mirror on the development, the Lagos State PDP Chairman, Chief Tunji Shelle said:, "The G7; some of them have made up their minds to bring the party down, maybe one or two but the others are just playing games...just playing along, they know it cannot work; they cannot leave the PDP and join another party. It can be suicidal and it may mean the end of their political career."