…as party grants waiver to NWC
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, and other National Working Committee members could re-contest for their positions in the Working Committee if they so wished. The President also said that waiver against resignation shall be granted to them if they indicated interest to re-contest.
The president’s position was quite different from his position on the National Executive Committee meeting that held on March 27, where he emphasized that those interested for elective positions must resign.
Addressing the National Executive Committee of APC that had in attendance the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, 17 APC governors, four Deputy Governors, state party chairmen, non-NWC NEC members and APC NWC members, Buhari said: “l also believe that the current executive should be free to run for elective position in the party if they so wish and permitted by our party constitution.
“However, considering the provision of Article 30 Section 1 and Subsection 3 of our party constitution, which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before the election, I’m not sure of the practicality of the present serving officers’ ability to meet this condition.
“Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party executive at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised in participating in the elections, provided this does not violate our rights or our rules.
“Necessary waivers should also be extended to executive at the ward level whose tenures may have elapsed and, indeed, to anyone knocking on our doors from other parties.
“This gives credence to the right to freedom of association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. In this circumstance, the party should issue a statement on the above waivers so that our house may be full. We all must not be ignorant of the thorns and the journey that is ahead of us.”
On the report of the Technical Committee, the President said: “I want to specifically thank members of the technical committee for a job well done within a limited time frame. It shows the essence of commitment and the ideals of our party with a view to consolidating the party to continue to provide good governance in the overall interest of Nigerians.
“The general interest of the party and based in the report submitted by the technical committee, it is important to focus on how to move the party forward by avoiding actions detrimental to the interest of the party. “Considering that politics is a game of numbers, we must not be a house divided against itself and must try to appreciate and accommodate our differences as far as the law permits.
“Having seen the report, my position is to ensure that the party tows the path of unity, legality, cohesion and not that of division.
Therefore, I am stressing that we strengthen our internal democracy by organizing party congresses and convention, where election of national executive committee members will be held. This will automatically end the cases filed by members seeking orders of court compiling the party to hold its congresses.”
In his remarks, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, said that the crisis in the party would end after the NEC meeting. However, he decried how he had been maligned in the media since issue of tenure elongation came up.
He said: “In the past days, I have read news reports and all manner of comments and opinions that have tried to frame the majority decision of NEC as an attempt to primarily secure “tenure elongation” for Oyegun and the NWC.
This is quite unfortunate because nothing could be further from the truth.
“We are looking for ways to minimize rancour in the party ahead of the next general elections and we are looking for ways to save the party from potential legal booby traps. These are both valid considerations. The challenge that we have faced has been how to reconcile the two in the best interest of the party.
“On a personal note, I have had to endure virulent media attacks, malicious insinuations and outright character assassination.
However, the responsibility imposed on me by my position as the National Chairman of the party demands that I rise above my personal pains and refuse to yield to the temptation to react in a manner that potentially complicates the situation for our party. However, I will like to urge everyone else to remember that regardless of our ambitions and personal interests, the party is greater than all of us.”
