Oshiomhole vs Oyegun: Orji Kalu advises Buhari on what to do

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Oshiomhole vs Oyegun: Orji Kalu advises Buhari on what to do

 

A former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the dispute between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole and his predecessor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kalu made the plea on Friday while speaking with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, Ikeja, Lagos State.

He said the intervention of the president was needed to restore peace to the party leadership and ensure that APC remains focused on delivering its manifesto to Nigerians.

Kalu said, “What is happening between them is the beauty of democracy because we agree to disagree.

“However, we are calling on Buhari to intervene just like the way he did in the Sen. Danjuma Goje and Sen. Ahmed Lawan matter which has seen Goje stepping down for Lawan for the Senate President position.

“Before, the president will say I don’t want to play politics but he is the chief politician and he has started changing his mind to intervene in such cases.

“So, I am sure that we will sort out Oyegun and Oshiomhole’s problems before next week with the intervention of the president and I am sure he is already working on that.”

He, however, urged some politicians to desist from using the name of the president to push their own agenda, stressing that Buhari’s integrity had remained intact despite their antics.

The Senator-elect for Abia North on the platform of APC also insisted that he was still in the race for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the Ninth Senate.

He said, ”I am not only restating it but I am saying that it is the most godly thing to do because I am ready to do that job to help the Senate in law making and help the executive to bring stimulus that would heat the economy.

“I am interested in the economy heating up because if we get the economy right, the insecurity that we are facing now will go away.

“Also, we need to look at candidates that have capacity to do the work and I have that capacity.

“Capacity to help the president actualise his economic goals because we need to put the Nigerian economy on track.”

Kalu assured Nigerians that the Ninth Senate which would be inaugurated on June 11, would engage in robust lawmaking and would not be a rubber-stamp assembly.

He also expressed confidence that Lawan would clinch the position of the senate president and that the lawmakers would work in harmony with the Executive to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

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APC Crisis: Oshiomhole Is Not An Alternative To Oyegun - Airhiavbere

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APC Crisis: Oshiomhole Is Not An Alternative To Oyegun - Airhiavbere

 

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), has faulted the endorsement of ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole by the South-South caucus of the party for the national chairmanship position.

Airhiavbere insisted Oshiomhole was not an alternative to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

He made it clear that Oyegun was the best option, given how he had kept the ruling party together despite all the challenges it had faced after winning the 2015 presidential election.

“The division in South-South is normal and I believe that if there is healthy competition, it means APC is still very vibrant and it is a party to beat. But, Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun. That is the truth and that is my stand.

“If there is anything, I want my voice to be heard on this issue. Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun if the APC national chairman is going to come from Edo State. He is not an alternative because we know the contribution of everybody to the party. So, my take is let Odigie-Oyegun remain.

“Why I said so is that Odigie-Oyegun has put the APC together despite all the challenges the party had faced after winning the 2015 elections. And overtime, because of the security situation and challenges of emergency of terrorism, there has been the need to stabilise the polity and so far so good, Odigie-Oyegun has delivered,” Airhiavbere said.

On the tribal politics he alluded to, Airhiavbere said: “Now, there is a convention coming up; this is the first time an Edo South person is there and it is tribal politics they are playing in Edo State. And tribal politics will definitely destroy the polity in the state.

“With all the records of Odigie-Oyegun, we found out that he retired as a permanent secretary almost 30 years ago and he has brought his weight to the APC. That is not the way to reward him for all that he has done, especially from his own enclave, from his own state.

“How can they say all of us endorsed somebody? Not all of us. Some of us are leaders and we were not consulted. And I will not succumb to the fact that Edo State APC has endorsed Oshiomhole? I am not one of them.”

                                                  

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APC Takes Final Decision On Oyegun, Others Today

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APC Takes Final Decision On Oyegun, Others Today

The meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, National Executive Committee, NEC, will hold today, Monday in Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari would attend the meeting before proceeding to the United Kingdom.

The APC Assistant Director, Publicity, Edegbe Odemwingie, confirmed this to journalists yesterday in Abuja.

The main purpose of the meeting is to reach a final decision on the tenure elongation saga after last Friday’s submission of the report of a 10-man NEC Technical Committee led by Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State.

The committee was believed to have recommended the conduct of fresh congresses and national convention after President Muhammadu Buhari had secured the backing of most APC governors.

APC NEC meeting in February had approved a controversial extension of the tenures of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led APC NWC and other party officials across all levels by one year.

But President Buhari said the outcome of his consultations with legal experts showed that the tenure elongation contravened not only the party constitution but also the Nigerian constitution.

Today’s NEC meeting is expected to endorse the demand for congresses and convention and announce the dates for the exercise.

Other key issues expected to be tabled at today’s discussion were the reports of the party’s committee on Constitution Review and True Federalism.

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APC's Oyegun, NWC Members Move Out Of Party Secretariat To Avoid Embarrassment

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APC's Oyegun, NWC Members Move Out Of Party Secretariat To Avoid Embarrassment

Some members of the John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have started moving out of the party’s Secretariat.

The NWC members are moving out their personal belongings from their offices.

A staff at the headquarters told Daily Sun that the haste to evacuate their personal effects was to avoid embarrassment.

This is as the party has announced plans to set up a Convention committee at the emergency NEC meeting slated for Monday.

Sun quoted the staff as saying, “This week is the only chance for the NWC members to tidy up their offices since they are not sure of returning.

“Once NEC sets up convention committee, the responsibilities of the NWC will be reduced to ceremonial.

“Don’t forget that they have just few months to operate here before some of them re-contesting would compulsorily resign as stipulated by the party constitution.

“So, they technically have few months to function effectively and they don’t want to be reduced to inconsequential level once the emergency NEC meeting agrees on congresses and convention. It is obvious that they don’t want any embarrassment.”

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Senator Abe Explains Why Buhari Rejected Oyegun's Tenure Extension

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Senator Abe Explains Why Buhari Rejected Oyegun's Tenure Extension

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Senator Magnus Abe, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the extension of the tenure of the John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC), is in the best interest of the party.

Abe stated this on Thursday, while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“This is not about anything that is personal to Buhari.

“What he is looking at is the image of the party, the responsibility of the APC to lead by example and the best option,” he said.

Senator Abe, who represents the Rivers East Senatorial District, also commended the President for saving the party from legal issues.

“The President as a leader and conscience of the party has drawn the attention of everybody that this action we have taken has potential legal pitfalls ahead for the party if we don’t review it.

“After the President spoke, it is pretty clear to anybody who is a politician that for a voice that strong to come out to warn and advise us, we as a ruling party cannot disobey the law.

“We are also the ones that will conduct elections for the country. It is our party and government that would do that. So we must lead by example,” the lawmaker added.

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APC Crisis: APC Governors Back Buhari's Stand On Tenure Elongation, Dump Oyegun

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APC Crisis: APC Governors Back Buhari's Stand On Tenure Elongation, Dump Oyegun

The 24 governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari that APC constitution should be respected in electing a new National Working Committee, NEC.

This was disclosed by the Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari after Buhari met with some governors.

President Buhari had at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting last week declared as illegal, a proposal for the extension of the tenure of the John Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC of the party. 

The Governors have now resolved to back Buhari’s position that such elongation of tenure is illegal.

Some state governors who met with Buhari again on Wednesday disclosed their new position to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recall that a similar meeting between the President and all the governors had ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.

Those who met the President on Wednesday included governors of Zamfara, Abdulazeez Yari; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Imo, Rochas Okorocha;Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun.

At the end of the meeting, Yari told reporters that after the Tuesday meeting with Buhari, the governors again met late in the night and decided to round off with consultations with the President.

He said all the 24 state governors have agreed that elections of party officials should hold at all levels as canvassed by the President at the last meeting of the party’s National Executive Council.

Yari said, “We consulted and all the 24 governors of the APC are on the same page with Mr. President that we are going to respect our party’s constitution, and respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we collectively agreed that we will have congresses at all levels – Local – State and National.

“The committee set up by the National Secretariat of our party headed by governor of Plateau State, is presenting its report later today (Wednesday). The governors are also meeting with the working committee today so that we come up with convention committee names as well as timetable of the election.

“So, there is no deadlock in our meeting, we have progressed and very soon you will have the names of the convention committee members as well as the timetable.”

Also speaking, Governor Okorocha of Imo State said that despite the developments of the last few days, there is no crisis in the party.

Okorocha called on those peddling rumour of crisis in the party to desist.

He told reporters, “The issue was that some people who believe that we did not have enough time to organise a party congress and run election. Some people felt that it was a good idea but the most important thing is that, if we do that, we will be contravening both our party constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That is the major issue that we have that they call crisis. We do not have virus.

“This morning, we met with Mr. President to fine-tune issues, one regarding the congress and we have resolved that the congresses at all levels and the Chairman of the elongation committee, is also fine-tuning the arrangement in the same line. To this effect, the convention committee will be set out, it will be announced.

“We are simply saying that their tenure has ended and those who wish to re-contest can re-contest and can be elected into our party structure.

“So we are all one as family and we are set to go for 2019 elections in victory.”

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APC Crisis: APC Unveils Committee On Tenure Elongation

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APC Crisis: APC Unveils Committee On Tenure Elongation

 

The All Progressives Congress, APC, said it would release list of membership of a technical committee set up to advise the party on tenure elongation of its National Working Committee, NWC on Thursday.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this yesterday.

Responding to an enquiry on when the technical committee would be unveiled, he said, “we are still working on it. By tomorrow (today), we shall make the list public.”

Abdullahi had on Tuesday, announced the constitution of the technical committee.

The APC’s spokesperson had added that the decision of NEC to extend tenure of party officials by one year still subsisted pending the outcome of the task of the committee

He had said, “The president was gracious enough to say well, this is my thinking. But I still want to subject it to debate by NEC.

“So, members of NEC thanked the president for still throwing the issue to them for a debate.”

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APC Crises: Buhari Lacks The Power To Determine The Tenures Of APC Officers - APC Tells Court

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APC Crises: Buhari Lacks The Power To Determine The Tenures Of APC Officers - APC Tells Court

 

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that President Muhammadu Buhari lacks the power to determine tenure of its officers.

The party said this while opposing the hearing of the suit by aggrieved members of the party over the tenure elongation for the National Working Committee, NWC, led by John Odigie Oyegun before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The aggrieved members, led by Ademorin Kuye and Are Mutiu (Lagos); Sani Mayanchi (Zamfara); and Machu Tokwat (Kaduna) had earlier sought an ex parte order directing the NWC members to show cause why the court should not stop them from continuing as national officers of the party effective June 30.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the APC, the party’s national chairman, Oyegun and the National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso were joined as respondents in the suit.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the agitating members, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, demanded that the case be heard since Buhari had at the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party on Tuesday, admitted that the tenure elongation was illegal.

However, defence lawyers, Akin Olujimi, SAN, Joseph Daudu, SAN, James Onoja SAN, and Idris Yakubu, asked the court to adjourn the matter to enable them respond to the originating processes just served on them.

Daudu, standing as the counsel to the APC, argued that Order 7 Rule 1 provided for 30 days from the date of filing the suit for a reply.

He therefore asked the court to discountenance Okutepa’s submission.

Responding to the president’s comment on Oyegun and others’ tenure elongation, Daudu said whatever view thereof was Buhari’s personal opinion and carried no weight until the party met and deliberated on the matter.

He told the court, “As far as President Buhari’s view is concerned, it carries no weight until the party meet and decide and deliberated on it. As far as the party is concerned he is an ordinary member like others.”

Having listened to the argument of counsel, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba assured that the court would give fair hearing to all parties in the matter.

He also ordered the filing and service of processes before the court and adjourned till April 16 for hearing.

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APC Crises: Buhari Saved Us From Impending Doom - Party Chairman

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APC Crises: Buhari Saved Us From Impending Doom - Party Chairman

 

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, has said President Muhammadu Buhari saved the party from impending doom.

Chairman of the State chapter, Anslem Ojezua, said this yesterday, noting that the proposed tenure elongation for the John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee would have brought about constitutional crisis.

He said the party would not have survived the crisis if Buhari had allowed the one year extension.

“It was a statement that was timely and justified. Because despite what anybody has to say, one of the changes that APC professed is the promotion of internal democracy, he told reporters.

“So, by that statement alone, the President has enhanced the profile of our party and saved us the disgrace that was imminent in implementation of that unconstitutional proposal,” he said.

He continued, “It is very good for the party. Let me even give you another aspect of it. In the past two years, we have had a number of people from other parties joining us.

“Now, these people are joining with the hope that they will be fully integrated in the party. One of the ways that this integration takes place is in participation in these congresses.

“And in some cases, some of them are free to aspire and hold offices. By implementing the tenure elongation proposal, you would have shut those ones out at least for another one year and perhaps another four years.

“The most important thing which is fundamental is that our constitution as a party does not permit it.

“But the President has even taken it beyond that to the constitution of the country, which is the most important law of our land and that law expressly forbids any body holding an office in a political party for more than four years without an election.”

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Edo APC Backs Buhari's Decision On Tenure Elogation

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Edo APC Backs Buhari's Decision On Tenure Elogation

 

The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Anselm Ojezua has backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision on the extension of John Odigie Oyegun’s tenure as the party’s National Chairman.

Buhari on Tuesday shocked members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of his party when he called for the cancellation of tenure extension for party officials 

Ojezua described President Buhari’s call as justified and democratic.

The APC national chairman hails from Edo State.

Ojezua told Punch that “while there had been speculation over the plan to extend the tenure of elected national and state officials of the party, such a decision would be illegal as it was not backed by the party ’s constitution.

“What the President said is justified; that is democracy at work.”

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