President Bola Tinubu has directed a committee, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to end the political crisis in the Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The presidential panel is tasked with the responsibility of addressing and resolving the internal conflict bedevilling the state chapter of the party.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Musa Krishi, other members of the committee are Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State; former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara; Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel; Senior Special Assistant to the President (Political) Alhaji Ibrahim Masari; and Alhaji Usman Abubakar Gotomo.
The Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi, is the secretary of the committee.
The statement said, “Already, the Speaker Abbas-led committee has swung into action, holding its first meeting in late July in Abuja, where issues regarding how to face the assignment were thoroughly discussed.”
It further reported the Speaker as saying that Tinubu carefully chose the committee members based on their integrity, track record, and ability to operate fairly and objectively.
He asked them to prepare and meet expectations by finishing the task within one month, as required, ahead of the APC congresses.
The statement further read, “After an exhaustive deliberation on the origin of the crisis, which dates back to the party’s 2015 primaries in the state, the meeting resolved to embark on a fact-finding assignment by meeting with the relevant stakeholders.
“Consequently, the meeting with the identified Bauchi APC major stakeholders was held on July 31 at the Yobe State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, with Governor Mai Mala Buni chairing in the absence of Speaker Abbas, who is the committee chairman.
“Some of the stakeholders present at the meeting included two former governors of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar (SAN) and Alhaji Isa Yuguda; Senator Surat Dada; Senator Salisu Matori; and Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, among others.”
The Abbas-led committee is anticipated to present its report in the coming weeks, prompting more presidential intervention.
