An internal conflict seems to be rocking the All Progressives Congress as former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff threatened to slap Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the recently held National Executive Committee meeting of the party.
Premium Times reports
Mr. Sheriff exploded midway into the meeting, raining abuses on Mr. Tinubu and threatening to slap the former Lagos State governor.
But for the intervention of the some party leaders attending the meeting, including a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the former Borno Governor, almost made real his threat, sources at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES.
The APC NEC meeting, which was held at the party’s headquarters in the Wuse 2 District of Abuja, was convened last Monday to discuss some pressing issues in the party, including the impending inaugural ward, local government and state congresses as well as a national convention.
The membership of the party’s NEC includes all members of the National Working Committees, NWC, Board of Trustees, BoT, former presidents, vice presidents, governors and their deputies who are members of the party, and leaders of the party in the National Assembly.
Mr. Sheriff is a member of the organ in his capacity as a former governor and a leader of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, which last year merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Congress for Progressives Change, CPC, and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to form the APC.
He was the Chairman of the ANPP Board of Trustees until the merger. On his part, apart from being a former governor, Mr. Tinubu is a respected leading light of the country’s main opposition party.
At the end of the meeting, the APC NEC fixed May 24 for its first national convention. It also fixed April 5 for the ward congresses while the local government and state congresses will hold April 12 and 23 respectively.
Our sources said Messrs. Sheriff and Tinubu clashed when the meeting began discussions on the congresses and convention.
It was gathered that the during the discussion, the APC National Chairman, Bisi Akande, who was presiding over the meeting nominated himself and the National Secretary, Tijjani Tumsah to serve as chairman and secretary respectively of the National Convention Committee, NCC, which would also oversee the conduct of the congresses.
Angered by the suggestion, this newspaper was informed that the former Borno State Governor, who is popularly called SAS (Senator Ali Sheriff) or GAS (Governor Ali Sheriff) while in power between 2003 and 2007, grabbed the microphone and expressed his opposition to the choices.
Mr. Sheriff was also said to have made some remarks which suggested that he believed that APC was not yet mature as a party.
He was reportedly cautioned by Mr. Tinubu, who asked him not to speak about the party in a negative manner. The former Lagos State Governor also asked Mr. Sheriff to quit the APC and go elsewhere, if he was not comfortable with the party.
At this point, Mr. Sheriff, who was now holding firmly to the microphone, allegedly began to insult Mr. Tinubu, asking him if he owned the party.
“Who are you? Who do you think you are? Are you the owner of the party?” the former Borno governor reportedly inquired from Mr. Tinubu in a fit of anger.
All the leaders of the party present at the meeting reportedly watched with amazement as the 58-year old former Borno State governor reportedly rained abuses on Mr. Tinubu, 62, who on his part, kept his cool all through.
Out sources said Mr. Buhari saved the day when, sensing danger in allowing Mr. Sheriff to continue insulting Mr. Tinubu, intervened. The former head of state was said to have tongue-lashed Mr. Sheriff for losing his composure.