By Tordue Salem & Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, is headed for the rocks, as erstwhile Chairman of its Convention Committee, Mr. Mike Ahamba’s ambition to lead the party has put him on war path with the party’s presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Buhari, who is also the party’s Chairman, Board of Trustees, according to Mr. Ahamba at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, has anointed a South-South candidate for the chairmanship of the party “against the wishes of the majority in CPC”.

Ahamba, who shelved his declaration for the chairmanship of the party in Abuja, yesterday, said the decision by the Buhari-led BOT to zone the post of chairmanship of the party to the South-South was “against the constitution of the party.”

According to Ahamba, the party’s constitution does not recognise zoning.

He said: “Today, I was to announce my plans as chairman of CPC, but I can no longer do so, in view of what has developed since yesterday (Tuesday).

“Only last night, the Board of Trustees of the party, of which I am a member, took a position, zoning away the chairmanship position of the party out of the South-East.

“The BOT, having taken this position, I have decided to make consultations with those that endorsed me for the position.

“Whatever the result of that consultation is I will inform everybody accordingly. CPC is a democratic party and our constitution does not provide for zoning.

“I feel highly disappointed by the development, but I am a team player that is why I have decided to consult first before taking any step.

He recalled that “on September 26, around 1:30 am, 21 chairmen of the respective state chapters of the Congress for Progressive Change, paid me an un-expected visit in my hotel room to invite me to consider running for the national chairmanship of the party.”

He said the visit surprised him because “they took me by surprise because it has never been my concern or part of my political agenda.”

Ahamba, who was the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, legal counsel, and a founding member of the CPC, considered his travails a betrayal from Buhari who, he said, should have stood by him.

“In fact I am shocked and embarrassed that Buhari has not been able to stand for me. I am shocked that he will stand and let a party board he presides over humiliate me and zone the position to the South-South, against the party’s constitution. I consider it a betrayal.
“There is nothing I have not done for the party and for Buhari, except that I have not committed a crime for him,” he moaned.

On the killings in Jos, Plateau State, the party stalwart begged the warring parties to sheathe their swords in “the name of God”.
He called on all the people behind the dastardly acts of terror “to know that there is God watching their every move” and be touched “by the sufferings and deaths of innocent lives.