R-APC: The men behind the mask and their motives

The decision of the nPDP members of the All Progressives Congress, APC to leave the party followed a number of infractions. The chairman of the faction, Engr. Buba Galadima on Wednesday alleged that the government formed by the party has been rudderless and been inept even worse than the government that it replaced.
While the assertions were generally seen as selfless, the exit of the nPDP leaders and their allies was also beyond the matter of the alleged incompetence and dictatorial tendencies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Dogara, Kwankwanso Tambuwal, Goje and Saraki
Several of the RAPC leaders were also motivated by personal political issues in their decision to exit the party.
Saraki
Though Dr. Abubakar Baraje was generally referred to as the chairman of the nPDP, there was no confusion as to who he reports to, that is, Senate President Bukola Saraki. Senator Saraki beefs with the APC flowed from the decision of the party leadership and the administration to oppose his aspiration to be Senate President. Remarkably, Saraki beat the odds set against him by the party to achieve his goal of becoming Senate President.
He, however, has been dragged to court on at least two different issues. The allegation that he forged the Senate Standing Rules was withdrawn after he was arraigned on the submission of the government counsel that the charge was unsustainable.
Dogara
Dogara like Saraki was opposed by the party leadership in his aspiration for the speakership of the House of Representatives. He also beat the odds and has increasingly consolidated his position in the House. Unlike Saraki, he has not been dragged to court on any issue. However, he has had to contend with party differences in his constituency with allegations of persecution of his allies by Governor Mohammed Abubakar.
It is generally believed that his aspiration to return to the House of Representatives on the platform of the party is entirely ruled out with Governor Abubakar in control of the state structure of the party. He, however, has going for him the strong support of eminent stakeholders of the state.
Tambuwal
Governor Tambuwal has not particular beef with the party or the administration with the notable exception of the fact that he as with the mainstream of the party in Sokoto State was initially opposed to the emergence of Hajiya Aisha Abubakar as the minister representing the state. The claim at that time was that she was not known to the party in the state.
Rabiu Kwankwanso
Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso despite being a strong member of the party who helped to mobilise the 1.9 million votes for Buhari in Kano State has seen his role and robe in the party removed by his chosen successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Kwankwanso has been removed from having any form of influence in the state is today out of re
Danjuma Goje
Senator Danjuma Goje was also one of the foundation members of the nPDP who walked out of the PDP on the claim that his chosen successor, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo had taken the structure of the party from him.
Senator Goje’s problems with the APC flowed from his strong role in the emergence of Saraki as Senate President and his continued role in retaining him in the office despite efforts to remove him from the office.
His Abuja house was raided by security men in April 2017.
Engr. Buba Galadima
Buba as he is popularly known was not a member of the nPDP and had never been a member of the PDP. Rather and even more surprising is the fact that he came from the Congress for Progressives Change, CPC and was in fact the secretary of the party and even more The Buhari Organisation, TBO. The TBO was the think-tank of Buhari’s politics.
Galadima fell out with Buhari in the days leading to the formation of the APC and the reasons have remained clouded with only Galadima doing the talking on the rift between the two men. Galadima is now the chairman of the R-APC, the body that is determined to stop Buhari’s second term.