Ayorinde Oluokun with agency report
John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and members of his National Working Committee, NWC may well survive the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja, contrary to speculations in political parties.
There have been speculations that some leaders of the party and governors elected on the platform of the party may move against Oyegun and members of his NWC at the meeting over alleged inefficiency in manner they have been handling the affairs of APC.
But contrary to such speculations, News Agency of Nigeria reports that chieftains of APC on Monday night, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the party at a caucaus meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara who spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting said: “This meeting shows our unity in the party, shows our strength and our commitment to the party and to Nigerians,’’.
Also speaking at the end of the meeting, Sen. Bukar Abba-Ibrahim dismissed speculation that it was convened to remove the leadership of the APC.
He said: “You remember, you saw it in some of the newspapers. That our crises had deepened, APC is going to break, there is a plan to kick out our national chairman – none of these things happened.
“It is a big family reunion and we are all happy and this party is going to dominate the Nigerian political space for a very long time to come. I don’t want to predict any number of years.’’
Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Chairman, described the caucus as `very fantastic’, adding that the party would be stronger after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Sen. Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande, cabinet ministers and presidential aides.
Governors of Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Jigawa, Benue, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Kebbi, Nasarawa as well as deputy governors of Kwara and Yobe states also attended the meeting.
Members of the National Assembly including Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso and Adamu Aliero as well as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha also attended the caucus which lasted for over three hours.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was absent at the meeting, though a source said he might have travelled out of the country.