By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Few days after the conduct of the Wards and Local Government Congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stakeholders of the party in Zaki LGA of Bauchi State, have rejected the outcome alleging that it was not conducted in line with the guidelines of the exercise as directed by the National Secretariat of the party.
Addressing Journalists on Friday, the Stakeholders, led by Comr. Mustapha Dalailu Katagum, called for the cancellation of the outcome and restart the process in line with the guidelines.
According to him, “I stand before you as a dedicated youth member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2014 to date in Zaki LocalGovernment. I am addressing you today to raise critical concerns regarding the current state of our party in Zaki Local Government and to implore both the state and national party leadership to intervene decisively.”
He stressed that,”We, stakeholders, seek a declaration that the recent so-called congress held is unconstitutional and invalid.”
The stakeholders stressed that, “APC in Zaki Local Government faces dire challenges that have precipitated our electoral failures in both the 2019 and 2023 general elections. The local dynamics are complex and cannot be ignored.”
“Primarily, our party loosing of elections is due to a distacing between the leadership of the party and the grassroots electorate. The decisions affecting our local political landscape are consistently made in closed-door meetings, with party leaders monopolizing the power and neglecting the voices of those who directly engage with the electorate. This undemocratic approach is detrimental to our party’s success,” The stakeholders claimed.
They added that,”Moreover, there is a significant lack of Youths involvement in the party’s decision-making processes. It is unrealistic to expect that leaders who are 50, 60, or even 70 years can effectively strategize and implement grassroots campaigns that appeal to younger voters.”
They added that,”The exclusion of youthful perspectives and energies has led to a lack of innovative campaign strategies, which is crucial in today’s political arena.”
According to them, “What is even more alarming is the recent internal congress. During this event, it became evident that the voices of ordinary party members were stifled. The assembly held at an aspirant’s house in Bauchi was fraught with issues.”
“Members were neither consulted nor represented, and this eroded the democratic principles that our party purports to uphold,” they stressed.
In light of these issues, the Stakeholders outlined three critical reasons why they believe the recent so called congress should be declared invalid.
They claimed violation of Congress Guidelines as the congress guidelines stipulated that gatherings should take place at the party secretariat, yet decisions were made at the chairman of the stakeholders residence in Bauchi.
This blatant disregard for protocol raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the process.
Another is the absence of aspirants claiming that none of the key chairmanship aspirants, including Mamuda Gwangwan, Alh Yahai Tashena, Alh Umaru Katagum, were present at the so called congress or consensus processes.
This lack of participation from recognized candidates undermines the credibility of the decisions made which so call concernsus as the APC Constitution is very clear on the processes.
The stakeholders referred to Article 20 which provides that party officers at all levels must emerge through democratic elections, while the Constitution allows for consensus under Article 20(3), this is only valid where all aspirants voluntarily agree.
Furthermore, “Article 9 of the APC Constitution guarantees every member the right to vote, to be voted for, and to enjoy fairness and equal treatment in party affairs. Any process that undermines these rights weakens the party and fuels internal conflict”
They also mentioned political imbalance stressing that the consolidation of key leadership positions within the Katagum district is concerning.
The chairmanship stakeholders, party local government chairman, and state treasurer slots were all allocated to the Katagum district, effectively monopolizing power and ignoring other districts which includes Sakwa ending up with only non working committee of the party.
According to the stakeholders, “The perception amongst our grassroots members is that our local leadership has failed to represent their interests. There is no concrete evidence of progress made by the leaders in convincing members to remain committed to the APC, leading to a disconnect that is damaging our electoral viability.”
“We urge the State and National Leadership to consider the implications of a leadership that disregards its members, particularly the youths. We strongly believe that collective action can facilitate a positive change that will restore the integrity of our party,” they added.
They added,”We implore members and citizens of Zaki Local Government to unite with us against the leadership that has systematically downplayed our constituency’s potential from 1991 to date.”
In conclusion, the Stakeholders stressed, “Let us work together to reclaim our party and ensure that every voice within Zaki Local Government is heard and respected. The future of our party depends on our ability to engage inclusively, respect democratic processes, and uphold the values we stand for.”
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