Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC on Tuesday said party’s pioneer National Interim Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, was substituted for Senate President Ahmed Lawan as Chairman of the party’s National Reconciliation Committee because of the busy schedule of the latter.
Speaking at the inauguration of the reconstituted committee, the APC chair said Lawan declined the appointment.
According to him, the Senate President was replaced because of his preoccupation with pressing state matters.
His explanation was contrary to speculations that APC changed the leadership of the Reconciliation Committee due to protest by a faction of the party in Edo led by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki.
He added that the reconciliation committee was conceived by the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) to reconcile aggrieved members so that the party can enjoy internal cohesion between now and the next election.
“After due consultation, the President approved the committee. However, the process has suffered a little delay because the person originally slated to head the committee was unable to play that role and so, we had to revisit the entire composition,” Oshiomhole who said he was excited by the acceptance of the members to serve in the committee said.
“It is traditional for progressive parties to have internal contestations, argument and disagreement. There is nothing wrong with those.
“If you have a party where there are no disagreement, there must be something wrong. “