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Chairmen Back Oyegun, Frown At Reps Over Rancorous Session

By Adamu Abuh, Abuja
27 June 2015   |   1:53 am
THIRTY-SIX states chairmen of the All progressive congress (APC) yesterday rose from a two-day meeting reaffirming their loyalty to the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led national executive of the party.
OYEGUN

APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun

THIRTY-SIX states chairmen of the All progressive congress (APC) yesterday rose from a two-day meeting reaffirming their loyalty to the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led national executive of the party.

The position of the party chiefs is coming against the backdrop of speculations that Odigie -Oyegun is being pressurised by the governors of the party to resign his position.

In a communique signed by Chairman of the Kano chapter of the party, Alhaji Umar Haruna Mohammed, the party chiefs who met at the Amso Hotel in Abuja expressed concern over the crises rocking the party over the emergence of the leadership of the national Assembly.

It noted: “As state party chairmen and direct grassroots leaders, we are all concerned about the development and therefore re-affirm our belief and loyalty to our party, the APC, its supremacy as contained in the party’s constitution and the decision of its leadership.

“We are also not happy with recent development in the National Assembly, especially the lower chamber, and call on the party leadership to put in place proper machineries to checkmate further occurrences. We also call on the party leaders to use the long break with the view of resolving the matter so that the much needed change will be seen and enjoyed by everybody.”

Although details of the meeting held behind closed doors are unknown, it is believed that the party chiefs failed to disagree on calls for the sack of Odigie-Oyegun and that punitive measures be taken against both the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

The party chiefs are billed to address journalists next week.

3 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    The task now before every patriotic Nigeria is to extricate Buhari from the clutches of those who style themselves as the owners of APC. Yes, Buhari came through a platform, equally that form had Buhari as its vehicle to power. For without Buhari that platform will be just stationary and motionless. In the last 16 years we have had several platforms without vehicles, and such platforms never launched off, much more attaining a peak.

    It is heretic to locate leader of the ruling party outside the President of the country; it is equally counter-productive to head a direction from opposite that of Mr President. The President must quickly rise above those who see him as a mere “boy-boy” (errand boy), who see another person as leader of the party where the President of Nigeria belong. Buhari must assume effective leadership of this country. He must start from demanding that his party big men desist from destabilizing the National Assembly and let the parliament be. His party men and women must practice the Democracy and CHANGE they mouth. Imposition of men selected from their bedrooms can never and will never be Democracy and Change.

    Though, I see a deliberate desire and will on the part of President Buhari not to be seen as “autocratic,” the surest way to slow him down is to hold the National Assembly by the jugular; that way no Ministerial nominees will be confirmed and no Bills

    of government will be attended to. Buhari must in the same vein rise above the antics of titled autocrats in his party. The excuse has been passed off that the President has not made his top appointments owning lack of earnest receipt of hand-over note from the previous government. The truth is that there is no stable and effective National Assembly in place for the confirmation/approval of the President’s top appointments. This is evidenced by the fact that the President had made the appointments requiring confirmation by the NASS.

    The President is the leader of this country and therefore we must not have alternate sources of supreme authority. A situation, for instance, whereby the Police was ordered to shut down the National Assembly on June 9 and which Order obviously never came from the President is very worrisome. Buhari must reign in his party chieftains and assume effective leadership of this nation. His party must allow the National Assembly to function and be free of crisis. Because, so far, APC leaders interference with the business of the National Assembly is hampering the President and worse of all, Nigeria.

    But that is not all. Though President Buhari has a role to play here, on part of the citizenry one thing is certain. Nigerians must rescue and extricate Buhari from the clutches and contraptions of evil cabals and their hirelings who have contributed in no small measure in pinning this nation to the mud all along. We must take ownership of Buhari if we genuinely desire to make a fresh and meaningful start.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This crisis will make APC stronger. We have identified the bad people in our party. We have to expel them gradually and recruit better candidates. I think it is time for the APC to cut their loses. Looks like the PDP now control the NASS.

    Senate- PDP+Like mind APC= 57 APC members 52
    House PDP +Like minds APC = 182 APC members 174

    I think it is time for the APC to move on. Start rolling out your policies. The president can handle a hostile NASS. The president of Nigeria is still powerful. The existing laws are good enough to fight corruption. We don’t need the NASS to pass new laws to fight corruption. The president just have to enforce the current laws. I like the VP statement that every one is equal in the eye of the Law. The NASS have already passed the whistle blower act. It will take 2/3 to override the veto power of the president. If the hostile NASS refuse to cut their own salary. The president should get the help of the NLC and other groups.

  • Author’s gravatar

    I just wonder why it is okay for these overfed adults in the National
    Assembly to physically throw punches and remain at the assembly while in
    Nigerian Higher institutions you get rusticated if you get caught
    engaging in a physical conflict with a fellow student