Mayaki, who chaired the Media Council of the Edo APC in the 2020 governorship election, accused Buhari of negligence in the party's management which he described as ‘suicidal’ tolerance of anti-party activities within the ranks, The PUNCH reported.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, John Mayaki, says President Muhammadu Buhari is responsible for the defeat of the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, in Saturday’s governorship poll.
Mayaki, who chaired the Media Council of the Edo APC in the 2020 governorship election, accused Buhari of negligence in the party's management which he described as ‘suicidal’ tolerance of anti-party activities within the ranks, The PUNCH reported.
While commending the President’s non-interference through the infamous ‘federal might’, he said his abandonment of 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 his approach to party issues, it may complicate the party’s chances in the 2023 elections.
He said, “The anti-party activities of top ranking APC members, governors and ministers under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is 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.”
Mayaki slammed 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 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 in 2023.
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.”