Crisis hits ANN over presidential primaries  …party chairman keeps NEC waiting on primaries guidelines 

The Alliance  for New Nigeria (ANN)  appeared to have been gripped in a crisis of confidence  as two contending caps are said to have emerged ahead of the party’s maiden presidential primaries.

Sources close to the party told our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday that forces loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)  who are working to ensure the candidate of the ANN steps down for the ruling party ahead of the 2019 election are said to be battling what  they believe to be the interest of some Generals in the presidential candidate of the party.

It was gathered that loyalists of the  are said  to have instigated moves to ensure  the emergence of a candidate that would later step down for the candidate of the ruling party before the general elections.

It was also gathered that the battle for the control of the party is currently between the leading Presidential aspirant  GBENGA Olawepo-Hashim and another  presidential hopeful  Mr. Fela Durotoye.

Sources close to the party also confirmed that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Pastor  Emmanuel Dania has  failed to call a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to ratify the guidelines for the primaries.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr, Akinloye Oyeniyi told our corespondent that the guild lines have been ratified.

He said that the party only has some “little issues” which he said would be resolved at a meeting on Thursday night.

Investigations however revealed that some forces who got wind of a possible endorsement of the candidature of Mr. Olawepo -Hashim by the class of retired Generals from the Middle Belt  Region were jittery and planned to frustrate his emergence.

Olawepo Hashim had earlier been shortlisted among the four Presidential hopefuls named by the elders of Middle Belt Forum some months back.

It was gathered that the forces were pushing for the emergence of another aspirant with the possibility that the said aspirant would step down for the candidate of the ruling party close to the 2019 election.

It was learnt that the church is playing a huge role in the emerging controversy with the said forces said to be pushing for an immediate national convention even before the ratification of the guidelines.

The plan to conduct the primaries without an agreed guidelines is contrary to Section 29(1&2) of the ANN constitution, which makes it mandatory that guidelines must be ratified by the NEC before the primaries.

Section 29(1) of the NN Constitution reads: The National Executive Committee shall, subject to the provisions  of the Constitution of the Federal Republic  of Nigeria( as amended) and the Electoral Act( as amended) and this Constitution, formulate guidelines and regulations for the nomination of candidates for election into public offices at all levels and shall be the final authority  for resolving all disputes relating  to choice of candidates for any election…”

Section 29(2) also indicated that the National Executive Committee shall regulate procedures for selecting party’s  candidates  for all elective offices,