Salihu Lukmon, former director-general of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, has called for sanctions against governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo), labelling them as “collaborators” working against the interest of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr Lukmon in a statement on Friday accused the three governors of colluding with the embattled national chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni, to frustrate the party’s March 26 national convention from taking place.

“There are known collaborators of His Excellency Mai Mala who have colluded with him to ensure that all attempts to organise the APC National Convention are blocked,” partly reads the statement.

“Three governors who are known and must also be called upon to account for their roles in undermining decisions to organise the APC National Convention are His Excellency Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, His Excellency Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and His Excellency Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state.”

The Gazette on Tuesday published a report regarding Mr Abiodun’s removal from the strategic elections committee to a less influential transport committee ahead of the planned national convention.

Fingered among the collaborators was senator Uzor Kalu, who was said to be closely working with Mr Buni “to undermine the decision to organise the National Convention of the party.

According to Mr Lukmon, “The March 17, 2022 APC NEC should initiate processes of disciplinary hearing in line with provisions of the APC Constitution to sanction all these leaders if found guilty”.

The former PGF director-general further hinted that Mr Buni had mischievously taken advantage of the trust of president Muhammadu Buhari to elongate his 6-month tenure to an endless reign which may eventually “terminate the political life of the party.”

“Perhaps, it is important to recall that the decision to setup the CECPC with His Excellency Mai Mala as chairman was taken by the APC NEC of June 25, 2020.

“With the initial tenure of six months, the NEC of December 8, 2022, extended it expectedly another six months. From six months, it became one year, and as it turned out to be, it is now endless, with the risk of eventually terminating the political life of the party.

“All these happened because both President Muhammadu Buhari, other party leaders and members trusted that His Excellency Mai Mala will provide honest leadership and implement every decision taken, leading to the emergence of new leaders for the APC.

“Had His Excellency Mai Mala lived up to the trust invested in his leadership of the party, at the minimum APC Convention would have been history and there wouldn’t have been any debate questioning the legitimacy of any serving Chairman of the party.”

According to Mr Lukmon, the survival of the APC would be determined by the events leading to its national convention.

“Events in APC require constant vigilance by all committed party members and leaders. Without doubt, the days ahead, leading to the March 26, 2022 National Convention, will define both the survival, the democratic orientation and the quality of leaders of the party.

“Whether APC will produce both party leaders and candidates for the 2023 elections who can justify the trust invested in them, depends a lot on how all the current leadership challenges facing the party is resolved.”

He stressed that “Beyond electing new leaders and setting the stage for the 2023 electoral contests, how APC navigate through attempts by some of its leaders, including His Excellency Mai Mala Buni and his collaborators, to block the Convention from either holding as scheduled or electing new leaders who support and respect decisions taken by broad section of leaders and members of the party will be the main test.”

Mr Lukmon added that “The fact that His Excellency Mai Mala has consciously and deliberately led APC to the present embarrassing situation, is most unfortunate.

“One would have expected that both His Excellency Mai Mala, his associates of surrogate supporters and timid leaders will be more concerned about what should be done to resolve all the leadership challenges facing the APC.”

The internal crisis rocking the ruling party has continued to fuel rumours that Buhari’s exit in 2023 may throw APC in total disarray.