Buhari responsible for Edo, Osun losses — APC chieftain

An Edo State chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, John Mayaki, has blamed the President Muhammadu Buhari, for the party’s recent struggles and the defeat of the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, on Saturday’s governorship poll.

He accused the President of negligent management of party activities and ‘suicidal’ tolerance of anti-party activities within the ranks.

Mayaki, who chaired the Media Council of the Edo APC in the 2020 governorship election, said the President’s non-interference through the infamous ‘federal might’ represented a good development for the country’s democracy.

He, however, said the observed abandonment of his obligations as the leader of the party who ought to be spearheading efforts to unite the ranks, enforce loyalty and expand political control, had brought the party to the point of losing an election where its candidate was the incumbent.

He warned that unless the President changed approach to party issues, it may complicate the party’s chances in the 2023 elections.

“The anti-party activities of top ranking APC members, governors and ministers under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration are to blame for the electoral misfortune of the party in Edo and Osun states.

“Poor reward system of the party and that of the president, if not checked, could impact negatively on the party just as the “I don’t care attitude” of Mr. President as a party man. The president is the leader of the party and he doesn’t appear concerned if the party collapses under his watch.

“In Edo State, we have a deformed Assembly lacking the inclusion of the majority because duly elected members are yet to be inaugurated. Mr. President has shown no serious concern about this dangerous development, despite the fact that the affected people are all members of the party he leads.

“Under President Buhari, the APC governors worked against the party in Edo State similar to how figures in his cabinet have been fingered in the loss of Osun State. But Mr. President won’t lift a finger to either reprimand these party saboteurs, instead, he signals tolerance that further emboldens them,” he said.

Mayaki also criticised President Buhari’s refusal to sack non-performing members of his cabinets and government who, according to him, had shown themselves incapable of bringing an end to the insecurity that plagued the country.

He urged bold management, urging the President to learn party leadership from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He called on party members in Osun State to learn the necessary lessons from the defeat and work harder toward delivering Asiwaju Bola Tinubu next year.

He also warned the PDP not to “delude themselves into believing that taking Osun means winning the presidency as it is a different ball game entirely.”  (The PUNCH)