By Abdullahi M. Gulloma and
Bode Olagoke, Abuja
Some governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, yesterday, had another round of closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, resolving to abide by the provisions of the party’s constitution and elect new officials.
The governors also dismissed media reports that there was disagreement between them and the President over the tenure elongation debacle.
President Buhari, had, at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting last week, asked the John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee to tow the path of legality and leave office at the end of its tenure in June.
And as a follow-up, the APC governors met on Tuesday with the president, but failed to reach a compromise on whether to extend the tenure or not.
At the end of the meeting, none of the governors was ready to speak to newsmen on the outcome.
While feelers at the meeting said a few of the governors were said to be in support of tenure elongation, the majority however voted against it.
But briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the follow-up meeting yesterday, Governor of Zamfara state and Chairman, Governors’ Forum, Abdulaziz Yari, said all the 24 APC governors were on the same page with the president on the need to adhere to the provisions of the party’s constitution.
“Yesterday, we left you in the dark after the meeting and today, we have seen so many captions that there is disagreement among the governors over the issue of party chairman or about the party leadership. No, we had a meeting with Mr. President yesterday (Tuesday), and we extended the meeting tonight and we followed up with the consultations with the President now.
“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 constitution; we are going to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
He said the governors have collectively agreed that there should be congresses at local, state and national levels, adding that a committee set up by the party’s national secretariat, headed by Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state would present its report.
“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,” Yari added.
Also speaking, the Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, said, “there is no crisis in the APC at all and we want to use this opportunity to advise the media operatives to stop spreading rumuors of crisis in APC. There is no single crisis in APC. But let me correct one impression, the issue of congress and convention does not mean that the previous people who have served the party have done badly.
“And it does not mean that they cannot come back or that they cannot re-contest, that is not it. 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.”
Another NEC meeting holds
Meanwhile, as the controversy over tenure elongation rages, the APC plans to hold another NEC meeting on Monday.
The party, however, insisted that apart from the NEC, every other persons, including the APC governors, were expressing their opinions which is not binding on the party.
Blueprint gathered that some governors met with the APC national chair, Chief Odigie-Oyegun on Tuesday night to prevail on him to allow convention to hold.
A source who was in the know, told our correspondent that the party chairman has agreed to hold convention as a last resort.
Addressing newsmen after a closed-door meeting with some governors, which lasted about two and half hours yesterday, Odigie- Oyegun, said the party had resolved to hold another NEC meeting next week Monday, where report of the technical committee put in place will be presented and decision will be taken.
He said the report of the technical committee set up will be placed before NEC on Monday, April 9, where appropriate decision will be taken.
“Today, the governors and the National Working Committee of the party decided to sit and look at the issues that are seemingly dividing us. I want to say to you with absolute satisfaction and pride that all the issues you have been commenting about in the last two days have been completely and totally resolved.
“We are back in business as one united and happy family. I want to say also that yesterday; we set up a technical committee as ordered by NEC. From the very first minute that we called them to session, they have worked nonstop because I emphasised when I was inaugurating them that their report was time-sensitive.
“It is sensitive because we have already sent out notices for the meeting of NEC which will hold on Monday. I am glad to say that the chairman of the technical committee has reported that his report will be ready this evening (Wednesday) or tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
“This report will be placed before NEC on Monday, April 9 and appropriate decision will be taken. Thereafter, we will announce to you the further steps that we are going to take resulting from NEC consideration on the recommendations when we receive them.
“The bottom line is that the APC leadership is back as one happy united and focused party, strongly behind our president and strongly behind our governors in all the states.”
Also speaking with newsmen, APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “It is left for the NEC to decide, and if the committee recommends that the position of NEC should be maintained, then there would be no need for an elective convention and then the president and those who are concerned that the decision we have taken is correct or not, will have more confidence in the position of the party.
“But if the committee recommends that congresses should be held, then NEC will consider the report and at the same time decide whether to reverse itself. However, as I speak with you, there is no evidence whether the committee will recommend this way or the other way.”
Some of the governors at the NWC meeting include; Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Simon Lalong of Plateau , and Deputy Governor of Niger state, Mohammad Ahmed Ketso.
