APC in Diaspora urges Tinubu to intervene in UK chapter crisis

The Committee of Diaspora Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (CDC-APC) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the brewing crisis over the conduct of elections in the United Kingdom Chapter.

The call is contained in a statement jointly signed by Prof. Adesegun Labinjo and Mr. Bola Babarinde, the Chairman and General Secretary of the Committee, respectively, on Monday.

According to the statement, the speedy intervention of the president is needed following the alleged compromise in the conduct of elections in the UK Diaspora Chapter.

The statement said that if the situation is not checked, it might lead to unintended and unfavourable outcomes for the diaspora chapter and the party.

”With the imminent catastrophe, the lasting solutions that we are all yarning for may elude this chapter and other chapters in Diaspora,” it said.

The statement said that the frosty relationship between CDC-APC and APC headquarters should stop, adding that the diaspora chapters were not in competition with the leadership of the party.

“We want to support and complement the party and to leverage the strength and spread of our supporters abroad, which is to be marshalled for the benefit of our party and country back at home.

“The current divide and rule being championed and deployed by our party secretariat should be checked by our able and diligent party chairman.

“Some elements that are power drunk and arrogant do not care about the well-being of our party, but only concern about their own ego and using their offices to cause rancour amongst the Diaspora Chapters and between the chapters and the secretariat," it said.

The statement also said that it was worrisome that some elements within the party were selling forms to factions of the party in the UK without the approval of the interim executives.

“How can they explain the circumstances surrounding the sale of forms to some factions of the APC UK chapter when the newly constituted interim executives have had no official meeting since their inauguration?

“What exactly are these people afraid of in conducting free and fair elections in the UK and, by extension, in other Diaspora chapters?

“APC Diaspora chapters are ready to support peaceful and transparent conduct of elections in the UK to avoid continuous animosity between the two main factions in APC UK.

“The Diaspora chapters are looking up to APC headquarters in Abuja to play a responsible fatherly role in making sure all stakeholders in APC UK are carried along and giving a sense of belonging," it said.