Internal crisis, cash crunch threaten NCP presidential primary

Crisis among leaders of the National Conscience Party (NCP) and lean purse may deny the party participation in the presidential general election next year, as its primary election continues to flounder.

The Guardian learnt that the party, founded by the late Gani Fawehinmi, lacks sufficient funds to executive the primary poll to select its presidential flag bearer.The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Okereke, said funds used to execute some of its programmes were from the national chairman and presidential aspirant, Dr. Tanko Yunusa.

NCP is the only political party that made its tickets at all levels free for its members. This development might have led to the party’s inability to pay for hotel accommodation for the primary scheduled for Saturday, October 6.However, Deputy National Chairman (South South), Peters Omoragbon and Deputy National Chairman (South East), Prince Gooduck Obi, accused Yunusa of anti-party activities and lack of accountability.

“Yunusa cannot be president because he has not been accountable to the party. Someone who is not accountable to his political party cannot be trusted with the commonwealth of the largest black nation. Let him account for his tenure,” Omoragbon said.He alleged that Yunusa had been working for Muhammadu Buhari from 2007 to 2016.

Accusing Yunusa of trying to disenfranchise the South East and South South delegates to the primary, since “the South West has chickened out”, the deputy chairmen asked the party to give all the delegates seven days notice, informing them of the new date and venue.

But in a swift reaction, Yunusa accused Omoragbon of dereliction of duty, saying the deputy national chairman had been in the United Kingdom representing the All Progressives Congress (APC).Okereke also said Omoragbon was absent at the last NCP NEC meeting, adding: “He complained of lack of money to fly back to the country.”He assured that the primary would hold in Abuja on Saturday, “if the party raises enough money to take care of logistics.”