By Seyifunmi Odunuga
Motivated by the need to ensure maximum unity among all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State towards achieving remarkable victory in the forthcoming general elections in the state, the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has raised a crack team to reconcile the factional parties in the state to mitigate and forestall possible negative outcome that may arise from the current factional crisis that has engulfed the party.
Deputy National Coordinator (South) of the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (TSGICC), Hon. Akinola Awodeyi Akinsehinwa, while arriving in Abuja from Enugu, told journalists that following the respect, admiration and loyalty accorded him by very top APC stalwarts who received him at the airport in Enugu before his rally on Wednesday, Asiwaju Tinubu instantly raised an advance team to stay back in the state and commence immediate actions to reconcile all parties in the factional crisis.
It will be recalled that on Wednesday, at a rally held in Enugu, the political headquarters of the old Eastern region, the APC presidential campaign council received a tumultuous welcome and an unprecedented crowd which observers have interpreted as signalling Asiwaju Tinubu’s major incursion into the South-East, thereby putting up a bold challenge to so-called traditional strongholds of some presidential contenders in the region.
But Hon. Akinsehinwa, who led the preliminary reconciliatory team, said the APC national leader had taken the bull by the horn by raising, as a first measure, a team in conjunction with the APC national leadership hierarchy and specifically directing his team to ensure that all possible measures are taken to mitigate further possible negative fallout of the crisis as the party prepares to enter the coming elections.
He also disclosed that an enlarged composition and modus operandi of the team were being finalised as a workable template for adoption in other states of the South-East where such a crisis may rear its head in the future.
‘’Reconciliation is on everybody’s lips concerning what played out at the rally in Enugu on Wednesday. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no problem whatsoever in Enugu or any state for that matter in the South-East. But as the APC national leader, he has undertaken to unite the party in close collaboration with the hierarchy of the national leadership of the party.
“You will recall that all the APC heavyweights in Enugu State came to receive him at the presidential wing of the airport in Enugu. The reception was carnival-like. It was an open show of respect, loyalty, admiration and support for the national leader. I can assure you that there is no doubt about that.
“Some of these political heavyweights withdrew from the rally apparently to dissociate themselves and display their disagreement with the state leadership of the party. As a responsible and responsive national leader and presidential standard-bearer of our great party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took note and from that point immediately set the reconciliatory ball rolling to ensure that all members of the party in the state go into the coming elections as one united front.
“I am pleased to inform you that we have already started recording positive signals as a result of our national leader’s quick intervention towards reconciling parties in APC in Enugu State. It is also pertinent to note and inform you that another critical part of the national leader’s assignment and directive to my team is to evolve a practical crisis resolution template for adoption in other parts of the South-East as a particular region that is very dear to the heart of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I’m close enough to the national leader to know that he has big plans for the South-East region as a potential technological and industrial hub for national growth and development. This is our solemn message to all our brothers and sisters of Igbo extraction to consider. That template is being finalised as we speak.
“The South-East people have a big stake in the Asiwaju and all hands are on deck to actualise that goal by the grace of God,” Akinsehinwa said.
