The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, were notable principal officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who did not attend the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, which on Tuesday approved one- year tenure extension for the National Working Committee (NWC) led by John Odigie-Oyegun and other executive committees at various levels beginning from June 30th.
The decision was arrived at after an extensive discussion at the 5th NEC meeting amidst the leadership crisis that has engulfed the party in recent times about which a reconciliation team led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been detailed to resolve.
By this decision, all affected officers will continue in acting capacity for another period of 12 months after the expiration of their current term.
NEC also by unanimous decision, passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
President Muhammadu Buhari , who was at the meeting decried the crisis in the party adding that the protracted row between his Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly has affected the smooth running of governance process in the country . The President admitted that government has not met the expectations of many party faithful but assured that the crisis will be resolved.
“I must acknowledge that the face of government has not met the expectations of many within our party. But few of us know or appreciated the depth of the wrath when we took office and that we spent the last two years bringing the country out of the mess we met it.
“Furthermore, the standoff between the Executive and the National Assembly slowed down the process of government. We are working hard to resolve the differences so that the country can move forward.”
He implored members of the party to give the Tinubu committee full cooperation to resolve existing differences among members in the states affected. “It is perhaps inevitable that there will be differences of opinion within the party. If we resolve them, then we can build a genuinely democratic party. But we must not lose sight of our common purpose as a party to break the mule of Nigerian politics and takes the country to new heights.
“Soon, primaries at the wards, local government, states and the centre will soon be due. I urge all members to take account of the fact that APC has a history of conducting free and fair primaries whenever consensus about any position is not reached. Regardless of the outcome of the primary processes which is imperative, we should all work together to ensure victory for our party,” he added.
In his welcome address, Odigie- Oyegun told the NEC that that a voice was raised in favour of the NWC members at the caucus meeting held on Monday night at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“My colleagues from the NWC, we have a voice raised on our behalf during the caucus meeting and I want to assure you that as quickly as possible we will have a welfare package before the next NEC meeting so that our welfare can be better catered for.”
Speaking to newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting which lasted about three hours, Kogi state governor, in company of other governors and party officials said that the NEC meeting decided to extend Chief John Oyegun led NWC, based on Article 1 3 of the party’s constitution.
Bello said: “At the end of the National Executive Council meeting today, a major decision was taken in line with the constitution of our party. We are all aware that the tenure of the current NWC and the executive members of this party both elected and appointed comes to an end June this year.
“Considering the time left for the party to conduct all the Congresses and convention and considering that our leader Sen. Tinubu has been charged with responsibility to reconciling all aggrieved members of our party, we cannot afford to approach general elections with more dispute and crisis.
“So, relying on Article 13 of our constitution, which empowers the NEC to carry out the function of the convention, the NEC has decided to extend the tenure of the current NWC and other executive committees at various levels for another twelve months, starting from June 30th.”
Others in attendance included; Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom; Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima; Secretary to ther Government of the Federation(SGF) Boss Mustapha, Bauchi state governor Muhammed Abubakar, Jigawa state governor, Badaru Abubakar: Ogun state governor Ibikunle Amosun; Zamfara state governor,
Others are; Minister state for Petroleum Ibe Kachikwu; Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bell; Magnus Abe; Francis Alimikhena; Abdullahi Adamu and Andy Uba; Abdulazez Yari; Kastina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari; Kaduna state governor, Nasir El’Rufai; Niger state governo, Sani Bello; Sani Yarima; Femi Gbajabiamila; Ado Dogiwa among others.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
