‘Shine Your Eyes’ APC Is Going The PDP Way, Baraje Tells Buhari

The former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, on Sunday  asked the President Muhammadu Buhari to to be wary of fifth columnists within the party and guide against its factionalisation.

According to Baraje he said Presient Buhari should ‘shine his eyes’ and deliver  the party from the hands of a few individuals who think they are more important than every other party members.

Speaking with Journalists yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State Baraje said;  “There are many distractions. President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has brighter idea on how to turn around the fortune of Nigeria, but a lot of things went wrong before APC came in as the ruling party. Most of the distractions were created by APC itself.

For instance, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki who heads an important arm of government is not getting the necessary support from the party because a few people think they are more important than others.”

“What led to the factionalisation of PDP is gradually creeping into APC, the dragon of impunity is creeping into the party. President Buhari should shine his eyes and should be wary of these people. He should start to play politics now to consolidate on the gains of APC seizing power from the PDP.”

Even though he said he was not aware of any plan by some politicians to form a new party, he however said; “politicians will always move from one platform to another until their aspiration is met. This is not selfishness, but a matter of principle. For instance, what will I be doing in any party where the prosperity of my people is not guaranteed.”

“Is the rule of law being followed? And this is a party that promises to uphold due process and the rule of law. The same lack of procedure that made the tribunal to discharge Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is the same lack of procedure that is happening in Saraki’s case.”

Speaking further he said; “our party has been docile and unconcerned about the political trial of Saraki, a loyal party member and the nation’s number three citizen.“The party is expected to rise to the occasion on issues affecting any member of the party. I am one of the many people who are not happy about how APC is being run.

“APC has lost majority of all the elections, not because APC is not popular but because of lack of national secretariat’s presence where rerun elections had been held. APC should be glad that one of their own is Nigeria’s number three citizen.

“The PDP supported Aminu Tambuwal as speaker of the House of Representatives despite emerging against the wish of the party. They didn’t throw away the baby with the bath water.

As at the time we were going for senate presidency’s election, there was no party candidate. There were influential members contesting for the position which was initially zoned to the north central”.

“Through the dint of hard work of Saraki, APC won in all the north central states. The arrangement that we have in the Senate now is God-designed.

The PDP may take over the control of the two chambers of the National Assembly if care is not taken.”

He also clarified that Saraki was not drawing salary after vacating office as the governor of Kwara state in 2011, saying he only draws his pension as constitutionally approved.