I"m not aware of threat to my office - Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that he is not aware of any threat to his position.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun spoke with State House correspondents on Tuesday evening at the end of a meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with the leaders of the APC at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He was asked to react to the reports making the round that his position was being threatened.

“I am not aware that my office is under threat. I led the party to the State House. It (the report) amazes me, occasionally it annoys me. That is one of the things you have to endure when you are in a position like mine,” he said.

The former Edo State Governor said the party leaders discussed all the challenges that have occurred since the elections and decided on the way forward during the meeting.

He said, “It was a very serious meeting that discussed serious issues that have to do with the progress of the party.

“Basically, we are expecting the budget to be out, and once that is done, implementation of our policies will start.

“That is what we will use to deliver on our promises to the people. So we are waiting.”

On the disagreement among members of the party in some states, the party chairman said there was nothing strange about it.

“Skirmishes among party members are normal. We have set up a committee that is looking into all those issues and will resolve those issues,” he said.

He also said it was wrong to say that the present administration had spent one year when its first budget is the 2016 Budget.

He also said the monies recovered from looters would be deposited into the nation’s account.

“We don’t just recover money and spend it. When we recover money, it will go into revenue, it will be deployed appropriately with the normal legislative approach.

“Don’t say one year into the present administration, count this year because this is the year we are presenting our budget and implementation will start,” he explained.

I"m not aware of threat to my office - Odigie-Oyegun

Oyegun furious, calls for probe of judges over Wike"s victory

ABUJA—National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, has called for the investigation of Supreme Court judges.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Oyegun made the call against the backdrop of his party’s loss of Rivers State governorship seat to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

It will be recalled that the supreme court last week affirmed the election of the state governor, Nyesom Wike, and dismissed the prayers of the APC governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside who prayed for cancellation of judgment of the state election petition tribunal.

But speaking in a meeting with a delegation of the party from the state, led by Peterside, Oyegun, who expressed shock over the ruling of the supreme court, said there was “something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary.”

On the demand of meeting with President Mohammadu Buhari which was canvassed by the delegation, Oyegun promised to schedule a meeting between the President and  members of Rivers APC to address the state of the party in the state.

Oyegun said: “The APC National leadership has not neglected party leaders and supporters in Rivers State. The state has always been in the front burner of discussion and decision in the party. There is obviously something fundamentally wrong in Rivers State which needs to be investigated and addressed.

“Your visit has had a sober effect on me. This meeting will kickstart urgent actions to address what went wrong. As of today, there is an attempt being made by INEC to bar us from elections in Anambra and other states. We must address these issues. I still find the judgement  on the Rivers State governorship election totally astonishing. There is something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary.

“We have lost very important resource-rich states to the PDP. No matter how crude oil prices have fallen, it is still the most important revenue earner for the country.

“I will take up your request to facilitate a meeting with the President. We will do that as soon as possible and also make it clear that there are problems which as a party, we must address.”

Speaking earlier on behalf of the delegation, Peterside said since they lost the case, the feeling of the people in the state was that of orphan.

He stated that the only consolation they had was the ministerial appointment given to their leader and former governor of the state, Chibuike Ameachi.

Oyegun furious, calls for probe of judges over Wike"s victory

Buhari"s Anti-corruption War : APC owes no one apology - Odigie Oyegun

he National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that despite the allegation of partisanship against President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war, the party owes no one any apology.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun spoke with State House correspondents on Monday night after a meeting the party’s National Working Committee members held with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

His statement was a reaction to the allegation that the ongoing anti-corruption war is aimed at further decimating the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The APC chairman, however, said the party’s position was that the rot in the country must be cleansed, irrespective of whose ox was gored.

He, however, said his party was not interested in a one-party state, noting that the nation needed a constructive opposition.

Odigie-Oyegun added, “The APC is not in any way apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system. This must be cleansed and whosever ox is being gored, wherever the tree is going to fall, so be it.

“We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation, there is going to be a lot to be done.

“The APC was not in office at the national level in the last 16 years. So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise. We have a nation to cleanse. The President has committed himself to that and we should support the cleansing whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all.

“It is not a witch-hunt. It just happened that the dramatis personae of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide. We have absolutely no intention to pressurise our nation into a one-party state. It is not in our interest to do so because we need a vibrant opposition.

“We need an opposition that will contribute constructively to national discourse; that will make us sit up and deliver to the people what we promised. But, the tasks are enormous and if anybody is ready to help to discharge these responsibilities, he is most welcomed.”

Odigie-Oyegun, a former Edo State governor, added that the party regretted the bloodshed that characterised the just-concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State.

He said although the APC had a lot of reservations on the final result, it would examine the issues critically and come out with a position soon.

“The Bayelsa election has come and gone. We have very deep regret that there was so much unnecessary bloodshed in the process.

“We have a lot of reservations, some of which our candidate had very eloquently expressed. We are going to examine what has come out very, very carefully and decide the next line of action,” he said.

The APC chairman also stated that as far as the party was concerned, the Kogi election issue was over.

He explained that all issues arising from the election were currently before various courts, adding that the party would leave the courts to decide on them.

Describing the meeting with the President as a normal interactive meeting, Odigie-Oyegun said the NWC briefed Buhari on the state of the party, the current challenges and the 78 reruns in which the APC would participate.

He added that the President also briefed them on the state of the nation and the work the administration was doing in the face of intense challenges.

Buhari"s Anti-corruption War : APC owes no one apology - Odigie Oyegun

#PresidentialMediaChat: PDP statement an abuse on President Buhari - APC reacts

The All Progressives Congress, APC has responded to the statement credited to its main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over Presidential Media Chat.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

In a Statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said the Presidential chat showed Buhari’s “undemocratic character as an unrepentant tyrant who has no regard for the rule of law and the self-worth of Nigerians citizens”.

 

The PDP described Buhari’s action against court orders as a system not far from the practice obtainable by Mussolini of Italy, HItler of Germany, Idi Amin of Uganda and General Than Shwe of Burma.

Metuh said: “Whilst we restate our respect for the person and office of the President, we note that President Buhari bared his true colours to the world as an unrepentant tyrant. Today, the world is no longer in doubt as to who is behind the prevailing recklessness, abuse of rights of citizens and outright flouting of judicial pronouncements by security agencies.

“A situation where the President openly pronounced persons facing trial guilty and sanctioned their continued incarceration despite being granted bail by the courts, presents a dangerous fascist practice obtainable only in totalitarian societies like Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, Idi Amin’s Uganda and General Than Shwe’s Burma.

In a swift response, the APC described Metuh’s statement as an unwarranted insult on the President, adding that such may not be tolerated anymore.

 

 

This was contained in a statement signed by the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun through the party’s Assistant Director, Media and Publicity, Edegbe Odemwingie.

 

The statement rea: “In the aftermath of Wednesday’s widely-acclaimed presidential chat, PDP’s spokesman, Olisa Metuh, in a statement issued on Thursday amongst others called President Buhari an “unrepentant tyrant” and “fascist.” In other baseless allegations, the PDP accused ministers and APC members of corruption while further accusing the president of a selective anti-corruption fight.

“The APC is worried by PDP’s inciting statements. Respect for the office of the President or heads of government in any clime is not a matter of choice but a civic obligation sanctioned by laws. Being an opposition party or critic is no licence to issue abusive, intemperate and slanderous statements on government officials; most especially the President of the country.

“The PDP has proven that it is not a party to be trusted or taken seriously. Only recently, the PDP said in a December 24, 2015 statement: ‘we urge that Nigerians should not recourse to hauling insults on the President’.

“For the umpteenth time, the APC urges Nigerians, who see merit in the war that the President Buhari-led administration is waging against corruption, not to be distracted by the PDP and their agents of corruption to discredit the war. For the records, the ongoing war against corruption is not selective. Anybody guilty of corrupt practices will face the law.

“If the PDP has any proof of corruption against any APC member or minister as alleged, we advise that they approach any of the anti-graft agencies constitutionally mandated to handle such cases.

“PDP’s rant suggesting a selective anti-corruption fight by the present administration should be seen as a plot meant to distract the citizenry from the successful ongoing war against graft.

“The PDP does not have the luxury of dictating how the present administration carries out its legitimate duty of catching looters, as long as it conforms with the rule of law.”

#PresidentialMediaChat: PDP statement an abuse on President Buhari - APC reacts

Kogi Election: Why we chose Bello over Faleke - Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said on Thursday the party is still making moves to reconcile those aggrieved with the choice of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the party governorship candidate in Kogi State.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

The party picked Bello  to replace its governorship candidate in Kogi, Abubakar Audu, who died last month.

Oyegun, who spoke at a meeting with leaders of the APC from Kogi East Senatorial District, said the party settled for Bello with the PDP in mind, adding that the APC was aware that whatever decision it came up, somebody will be offended.

He said, “INEC asked us to replace the late Prince Abubakar Audu, The party opted for something can we defend better if they go to court. That was the basis of our decision. But of course it created understandable anguish.

“We took the decision knowing fully well that someone was bound to get offended. And we were very conscious of the very peculiar circumstance of a group that was on the doorstep of victory. So in the circumstance, we did what we interpreted legally as the best way out of the logjam we were in, always having our eyes on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and what they may likely bring up in court.

“So what we are trying to do is to say we know you are badly bruised, we hope tempers are cooling down. We hope we can now talk about the next steps that will restore some semblance of normalcy all over Kogi State.

“In politics, everybody works for his own inheritance. It is not passed on from father to child. Of course the father can help the child and no question about that. The child can benefit from the father’s influence, personality and the rest. But he has to earn it. Politics is not an inheritance.”

Kogi Election: Why we chose Bello over Faleke - Odigie-Oyegun

Kogi Election Crisis: I won’t surrender people’s mandate - Faleye tells Odigie-Oyegun

THE crisis created by the demise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Kogi State’s governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, seems to be growing fast.

James Faleke

Audu’s running mate in the November 21 election, James Abiodun Faleke, has declined to pair with Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who has been named the party’s candidate for the supplementary election on Saturday, insisting that he should be declared governor-elect on the APC platform.

The APC looked set to win the election but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared it inconclusive, following the inability of some registered voters to vote in 91 units.

In a letter to APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Faleke dissociated himself from the supplementary poll, which he insisted was unnecessary since the November 21 governorship election produced the candidates of the APC as clear winners.

He said rather than substitute its late standard bearer at the governorship election for the purpose of a supplementary election, the party ought to have urged the electoral umpire to declare it the winner of the poll since the expected results from the scheduled election would be inconsequential.

In the 91 units, there are 49,000 registered would-be voters. Of the lot, only 25,000 have voter cards. The APC is leading by 41,000 votes.

“Please take this letter as confirmation to dissociate myself from the unusual and strange supplementary nomination of my humble self as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, this also serves as a notice of rejection of the purported and illegal nomination of myself as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello,” Faleke wrote in the letter to Odigie-Oyegun.

He said it would amount to a betrayal of trust and injustice on the part of the party to pick Bello who, according to him, joined forces with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the APC during the election, as the inheritor of all the late Audu and himself put into the campaigns to ensure victory for the APC.

Besides, Faleke faulted the APC for attempting to shave his head behind him, claiming that no one consulted him before his name was forwarded as running mate to Bello.

The letter reads: “I wish to put it on record that I was neither consulted by anybody before my name was submitted as running mate to a man who has since the conduct of primaries, abandoned the party, took the party to court, worked for the PDP, thereby causing our party to lose his polling unit 80 votes to his ally party PDPs 116, repeating same feat at the Ward level with APC scoring 1,146 to PDP’s 2,058.

“While it is true that the said Alhaji Yahaya Bello participated in our party primaries, its trite that party primaries are conducted to produce a candidate and once a candidate is produced, the congress, being an ad-hoc tool for that purpose, should automatically extinguish.

“It is clear from this injustice, that our party is on the path of rewarding disloyalty and discourage loyalty through this act of impunity for which we all fought the PDP.

“It may also interest you Mr. Chairman Sir, that the said Yahaya Bello, since the conduct of the primaries, had been aloof from party activities as it is on record that he did not attend a single meeting or campaign rally of the party.

“Mr. Chairman Sir, I am sure that it is neither in your interest, nor that of the party in particular and the public in general to lord an illegality on the people of Kogi State.

“Please, take note that I am not interested in surrendering the mandate the people of Kogi State bestowed on the Audu/Faleke joint ticket at the November 21 poll as I remain the governor-elect.

“I believe in the leadership of our great party to resolve this in the shortest possible time, failure upon which I shall be forced to seek redress in the court of law.”

In his latest letter, Faleke restated his position as contained in two letters last Thursday from his cousel, Chief Wole Olanipekun to the APC national chairman and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

In all the letters, Faleke mainted that the idea of a supplementary election should not arise because the APC had already won the governorship slot by polling 240, 867 to beat Governor Idris Wada of the PDP who polled 199, 514.

He said there was no truth in the belief that the outstanding votes could sway the poll’s results, adding that only 25,000 of the 49, 353 registered voters from 91 units from 18 council areas where the supplementary election would take place have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), pointing out that the PDP would still be trailing the APC even if it garners all the outstanding votes.

Faleke’s letter, titled: “Re:My purported nomination as deputy governor,” reads: “Information at my disposal from the National Secretary of our party, the All Progressives Congress and my telephone conversation with your good self, confirmed  to me that the party had issued INEC form and submitted my name as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the forthcoming unusual and strange supplementary election scheduled for 5th December, 2015, covering 91 polling units in Kogi State to elect a “supplementary governor”.

“Mr. Chairman, you may recall that an election was conducted on the 21st November 2015, in which I was running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu: I therefore remain fully committed to that joint ticket which received the blessings of the party leadership, including your good self, evident from your attendance at the campaign rallies to ensure total victory for your great party through which the people of Kogi State massively and overwhelmingly voted for us.

“Following the demise of my principal after the announcement of results from the polling units, wards, local government areas and the state, our party had highest number of votes of 240, 867 against PDP’s 199, 514, thus creating a difference of 41, 353 votes between the two leading parties. On the strength of this, I hereby state clearly that I remain the governor-elect of Kogi State on the platform of our great party.”

Kogi Election Crisis: I won’t surrender people’s mandate - Faleye tells Odigie-Oyegun

Buhari free to pick his ministers - APC

•Fresh Bayelsa primary today

President Muhammadu Buhari is free to pick his ministers, his party said yesterday.

All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the party trusts the President’s judgment.

President Buhari

Buhari is expected to send the names of his ministers to the Senate for confirmation latest tomorrow. Speaking after a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Odigie-Oyegun said:  ”We know that the President will do what he needs to do. What happened or did not happen between us and the President is a matter for the party as a family. It is a family affair, but he will do what he needs to do, when he needs to do it. You can trust him on that.”

He also promised that the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) would soon be inaugurated. “You know that we have been pretty busy, but I want to assure you that it will soon be inaugurated.”

Odigie-Oyegun announced the decision to fix another Bayelsa State governorship primary for today in Yenagoa.

He spoke to reporters after the meeting which was briefed by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the chair of the panel that organised last week’s primary, which was cancelled.

With Odigie-Oyegun at the briefing were Deputy Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Primce Hillaard Etta, National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed and National Women Leader Hajia Ramatu Tijanni Ali

The chairman said: “The main issue that occupied us today at the NWC meeting has to do with the Bayelsa governorship primary. We want to make it very clear that as a party, the APC guides very jealously its record of free and fair primary.

“The NWC sees it as a duty to provide a level playing ground for all those who aspire to offices in this party. Unfortunately, in Bayelsa State, we had serious security challenges and so, the process could not meet the standard which this party has set for itself.

“So, we had no alternative than to stop the process by ensuring that the chairman of the panel is effectively moved out of the venue with the help of security agencies. We decided thereafter that there should be a proper fresh primary.

“So today, the party decided and we have written to INEC appropriately that the party has decided to conduct fresh primary for the Bayelsa governorship election, beginning tomorrow. So, the process for fresh primary will begin tomorrow.

“We are getting in touch with the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to please assist us by ensuring effective security.

“Let me make one thing clear. The issue of who is candidate or not is not the issue here. That is not what is in consideration because it can be any of the 19 aspirants that obtained the form to contest that election.

“But for the APC, the party of change, it is essential that in party processes, elections within the party are also seen to be free, fair, totally above board and without any form of force. That is what we hope to achieve beginning from tomorrow. The venue remains Yenagoa because by law, you cannot change the venue because that is part of the electoral Act.”

On whether the party plan to discipline members who announced the result of the primary in disregard of the guideline, the chairman said. “We sent people to do a job and it got to a situation where they had reasons to fear for their safety – rightly or wrongly. Anything that anybody does in such a situation to keep body and soul in one piece is welcome.”

On the alleged plan by Timiprieye Silva to challenge the decision of the party in court and the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Odigie-Oyegun said: “That is what the courts are for. We will cross that bridge when we get there. The Saraki issue is in court and I will not want to say one word about it”

Speaking on security for the fresh primary, the chairman said: “They say once beaten, twice shy. I am not a security man; I am not a security expert. But I am sure that the IGP is fully abreast with with what happened that day as well as what can be done and need to be done to avoid a repetition and we trust his judgement.”

Buhari free to pick his ministers - APC

Odigie-Oyegun summons emergency meeting over ministerial list

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—Strong indications emerged, yesterday, that the Senate will receive the ministerial list from President Muhammadu Buhari tomorrow or Wednesday.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Ahead of the submission of the Ministerial list by President Buhari, National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has summoned an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, for today.

According to a source, besides discussing the proposed ministerial list, the party leadership will brainstorm on the multiple crises rocking it.

Some of the issues to be discussed include the management of the party’s success, the power rift between the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, among others.

The source noted that the crises in APC, especially the management of the party’s success at the March 28 presidential and National Assembly and the April 11 governorship elections was becoming a big headache for members, just as members are worried that the crisis was affecting the smooth running of governance with Nigerians being at the receiving ends.

Atiku, Tinubu, Akande

Speaking with journalists yesterday, a top member of the party’s NWC noted that apart from the crisis, the meeting will also dwell on the ministerial list that has put the party against President Buhari, who seems not to be interested in consulting officials of the party in the appointment of the members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, and the power rift between the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande and the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu.

According to the NWC member, the crisis between the chieftains of APC has stalled the inauguration of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, as well as holding of the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting.

Agenda

Listed for discussion at today’s meeting, the source said, would be the power rift between Osinbajo and el-Rufai, who is perceived as the ‘unofficial Vice President’.

It was gathered that el–Rufai made an uncomplimentary remark on the Vice President, to which Osinbajo was said to have protested and eventually walked out of the said meeting in the presence of President Buhari.

It was also gathered that prior to his storming out of the meeting, the angered Osinbajo told Buhari: “I am an elected Vice President and would not sit down here and allow a governor to insult me.”

According to the NWC member, the leadership of APC was not comfortable with this development and was determined not to sit down and watch the Vice President and being treated as a puppet.

… of Tinubu, Saraki

Also to be discussed at the meeting is the seeming feud between APC national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

The chieftain said: “Why must there be preferential treatment and separate rules? Whereas, Tinubu was acquitted for non- compliance with section 3 (D), the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, is insisting on Dr. Abubakar Saraki standing trial for an issue that the former Lagos State governor was acquitted and the suit struck out.”

Also to be discussed is the media war between Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and the former governor of Bayelsa state, Timi Sylva.

Odigie-Oyegun summons emergency meeting over ministerial list

Only Odigie-Oyegun, Lai can speak for APC – Party

The All Progressives Congress has said only its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, are authorised to speak for the party on national issues.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

In a statement by Odigie-Oyegun on Friday, the party said the clarification had become necessary as those it called authorised persons had been “issuing statements” on behalf of the APC.

It stated, “It has come to the attention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress that unauthorised persons have recently been issuing statements on behalf of the party.

“This is totally wrong and unacceptable as only the National Chairman and the National Publicity Secretary can speak for the party on national issues. Therefore, any member of the National Working Committee or the

party generally, who wishes to speak on behalf of the party, should expressly clear such statement with the National Chairman of our great party.”

It directed its state publicity secretaries to restrict their statements to issues concerning their various states, urging all the concerned officers to adhere to the directive.

Only Odigie-Oyegun, Lai can speak for APC – Party

Come up with ideas to deal with corruption - Odigie urges Judiciary

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has enjoined the judiciary to come up with innovative ways of dealing with established cases of corruption.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun said this at the post-investiture reception for Dr. Muiz Banire as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in Abuja on Monday.

He explained that the kind of mind-blowing cases of corruption in Nigeria would require a system which would deal with such cases expeditiously in order to prevent people who had stolen so much from the system from using part of their loot to escape justice.

The party chairman said, “There must be easier way; there must be either decisive justice, real justice without defeating the purpose of justice and without defeating the means to reform our society.

“Reform we must; and that reform must permeates all sectors of the economy and the polity.

“The matter today is corruption and if we do not have the way that corruption cases can be treated or heard and disposed off quickly and particularly in circumstance where today when we talk of corruption, we are not talking of a few millions of naira, we are not talking of five per cent; we are talking about something approaching trillions.

“These people can keep us in court all year long and for many years. In cases that are very obvious, very clear that if you total everything it would be what one would have earned in all his life time and if he comes ten times over to the world there is no way he could have accumulated the kind of wealth he has, particularly for people in public service.

“What is serious is that in a period like this when we want to change the society and change the society quickly, it is important that it is in tandem with the Judicial system.”

Come up with ideas to deal with corruption - Odigie urges Judiciary

Buhari"s government not slow - Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has dismissed the speculation that the APC-led government, under President Muhammadu Buhari, is slow in fulfilling its campaign promises and making relevant appointments aimed at ensuring effective governance in the country.

Odigie-Oyegun, who stated this in an interview with journalists in Benin, the Edo State capital, said that rather than not being fast enough, both the party and the President were being “deliberate and cautious” in their actions because it was the first time the country was being led by progressives since it gained independence in 1960.

He explained that the ruling party needed individuals who had passion and understood the requirements for implementing its manifesto.

He also described as rumours that some ministerial nominees had failed corruption test by security agencies, adding that the ministers to be appointed by President Buhari would be a combination of politicians and technocrats.

He said, “The government is not slow. It is cautious; it is deliberate. It is good we go with deliberate steps; make a few mistakes as possible in the appointments that will need to come. That process is close to its end. Some aspects of our promises are already under way. Implementations of some of the party’s promises are underway.

“There was the need, given that this is our first experience in governance, to be cautious. There was the need because of the totally different nature of our manifestos and social welfare programmes we promised to the people; that those he wants to bring to execute these programmes are totally different. That they understand. They are passionate and have ideas about what is required to be done.”

Buhari"s government not slow - Odigie-Oyegun

Gbajabiamila faction rejects Dogara’s zoning of principal offices

The Femi Gbajabiamila group of the two All Progressives Congress factions at the House of Representatives has rejected the latest zoning proposals on principal officers by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.

Femi Gbajabiamila

The group, which calls itself APC Loyalists’ Group, wrote the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, formally rejecting Dogara’s proposals.

The letter, dated July 18, was made available to The PUNCH on Monday and it confirmed the deepening nature of the leadership tussle.

It was signed by the spokesman of the group, Mr. Nasir Zangon-Daura.

The PUNCH had reported exclusively last week that moves to reconcile the two sides, including an intervention by the Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, merely left deepening disagreements.

The letter called on the APC to assert its authority in party affairs rather than continue to allow Dogara get away with what it considered to be disloyalty to the party.

It noted that, having emerged as the speaker against the APC’s initial projection that the South-West should produce the speaker, the members expected Dogara to exhibit the “spirit of give and take” by allowing the APC to decide how the remaining principal offices should be shared.

The group stated, “Mr. Chairman, history beckons and posterity will always judge our conduct and contributions to the development of our democracy. A political party is an institution and its supremacy is universal and not a Nigerian coinage.

“It is on record that the Speaker defied the party going into the elections and he is about to repeat such defiance. The party must assert its authority over all its members, the Speaker inclusive, as none of us came to the House as independent candidates and we subscribed expressly and impliedly to the party’s supremacy in political activities.

“Article 9.2 of the APC constitution which we all subscribed to states, ‘Members of the party shall be obligated to affirm the party’s aims and objectives.’ The party’s letter to the Speaker on party positions forms part of the aims and objectives of the party.

Furthermore, the President (Muhammadu Buhari) himself has spoken severally that the party is supreme and its decision must be obeyed.”

It will be recalled that Odigie-Oyegun, in a June 23 letter to Dogara, had communicated the APC’s recommendation to zone the office of Majority Leader to the South-West; Deputy Leader to the North-West; Chief Whip to the North-East and Deputy Whip to the South-South.

Yakubu Dogara

But, the speaker declined to name the officers, saying that he was restrained by a court process filed by some lawmakers opposing the APC’s decision.

He also argued that the recommendations of the party negated the Federal Character Principle enshrined in the 1999 Constitution since some zones would be left without a principal position in the House.

Dogara had claimed that since the North-East and the South-West had already produced the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, they should not be given additional positions.

His refusal to name the officers had led to the fracas on the floor of the House on June 25, later sending members on a forced four-week break.

In place of the party’s recommendation, Dogara on Thursday last week, wrote Odigie-Oyegun, altering the party’s position with his own proposals.

Dogara zoned the majority leader to the North-West; deputy leader to the North-Central; chief whip to the South-South; and deputy whip to the South-East in defence of his argument that each zone must be represented on the leadership.

But, in writing Odigie-Oyegun, the Gbajabiamila group dismissed the latest proposals, pointing out that it seemed the whole idea was to keep Gbajabiamila out of the leadership structure by all means.

Gbajabiamila faction rejects Dogara’s zoning of principal offices

I"ve no role in National Assembly crisis - Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday exonerated himself from the National Assembly crisis.

He noted that the crisis hasd assumed an unbecoming dimension with people accusing him of accepting gratification from senators.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

The chairman spoke while playing host to the Southeast/Southsouth Professionals in his office in Abuja.

Oyegun described those peddling the rumour as devoid of conscience, noting that God would eventually vindicate him and make his opponents regret their actions.

His words: “So, if they are saying you have taken money from a Senator, I am not a Senator. I cannot do it. I cannot at this age be a Senate President, Senate Leader.

“So what is he giving me money for? And in politics when you throw this into public domain, how many people know me personally? So, it is annoying, it is dirty. It is crude, it is unbecoming.

“It shows the people are so devoid of conscience. It doesn’t make me lose sleep because I have God that is so preventive of me because the people who are doing this will eventually eat their own words. I have no doubt at all in my mind.”

“One of the reports said that we cannot leave the present executive leading us to election 2019. You haven’t even finished with 2015, you are already talking of 2019. They are saying that it is a conspiracy for the north. How does it even fit in? Am I from the North? Am I the one organising them?”

Oyegun, who thanked the group for paying him a solidarity visit while he is “under severe attack,” said the crisis had become a threat to the upright character he laboured to build for the last 75 years.

His words: “It is an attempt to rubbish 75 solid years of character that I have put together.  They said taking gratification. Gratification from what? They don’t even know my background and history.”

He urged his accusers to cross-check his record whether there was any evidence of corrupt practice while he was the chairman of the Federal House Authority (FHA) board and other offices.

According to him, he neither allocated any plot to himself nor a member of his family.

Oyegun said: “I was chairman of the FHA, let them go and check records. I did not award a single plot to myself, not to any member of my family. Not a single piece of land. I was in the board of NPA, I was physically inspecting houses for building low cost houses at the Badagry Road. I don’t have a piece of land. I would have acquired acres in the process for myself.”

The chairman said for his love for Nigeria and democracy, he was in exile for four years.

He added that for the eight years former President Olusegun Obasanjo ruled, he did not visit the State House, Aso Rock of Abuja for any reason.

“That is the kind of person I am,” he said.

The president of the group who led the delegation, Emeka Uwgu-Oju, congratulated him for leading APC to win national elections barely a year old in office.

I"ve no role in National Assembly crisis - Odigie-Oyegun

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging as APC carcus meet

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging in the balance. The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman should step down, some forces within the party are pushing, ahead of tomorrow’s  meeting of the National Caucus Committee.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun’s offence, sources said at the weekend, is his perceived failure to nip in the bud the National Assembly crisis that has shaken the party so much.

Most of the APC governors, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and party elders are unhappy that Odigie-Oyegun allowed the “crisis to fester”.

They alleged that his “slow pace” attitude emboldened Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara to “negotiate” with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

The delay in sending the list of APC nominees for principal offices in the Senate and the House of Representatives has fuelled the anger against Odigie-Oyegun.

Party leaders are divided on whether to retain Odigie-Oyegun or dump him.

A source, who briefed some reporters in Abuja on the situation in the party and the backlash of the crisis in the National Assembly, said there was apprehension in APC that if the chairman remained in office, it might collapse.

The source cited two instances where Odigie-Oyegun failed to be “decisive” on the choice of principal officers in the National Assembly.

The source alleged that the chairman was virtually forced to hold the mock elections that elected Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the party’s choices for Senate President and House Speaker.

It also took the intervention of the APC governors before he could send the list of party nominees for some principal posts to Saraki and Dogara.

The source added: “There is much anger in the party against Oyegun. Many leaders have accused him of being indecisive or afraid to take the right decision.

“It is as if the man has no backbone or self-respect. When he should move, he sits down. When he should talk, he is mute. When he should make a decision, he sleeps and after finally making a decision, he takes days to implement something that could be done in minutes.

“After Saraki and Dogara rebelled by aligning with PDP National Assembly members, Oyegun remained strangely mum and unmoved to the harm being done to his and the party’s  authority. ‘He took the rebuff too lightly and quickly as if he almost welcomed it.’

“It was only after APC governors intervened and applied heavy pressure that he wrote a letter to the Senate President and House Speaker naming the party’s choices for majority leader and the other posts.

“Even then, the letter was half-hearted, oddly brief and strangely passive in tone. It was as if he wrote it under compulsion because he had been boxed into a corner by the governors and not by conviction.  Once again, Saraki and Dogara rebuffed him and once again Oyegun took the insult as if he asked for it.”

Also, a member of NEC said: “What happened in the National Assembly was a pure case of failure of leadership by the National Chairman.

“Certainly, his lapse is one of the major issues we will discuss at the National Caucus meeting in Abuja and later at our NEC session.

“We are all disappointed and feel betrayed by Oyegun because he refused to take action at the right time even when President Muhammadu Buhari said he would leave the party to resolve the logjam in the National Assembly.”

Analysing the APC and the National Assembly crisis in an article published on page 3 of this newspaper, former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, warned of the danger ahead for the party if nothing urgent is done to remedy the crisis arising from the election of Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

He said: “Now that the whole conspiracy has blown open, it is doubtful if the present institutions of party leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest the drift.

“It is my opinion that President Buhari, and the APC governors should now see APC as a recking platform that may not be strong enough again to carry them to political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in its claim to bring about the promised change before the party’s shortcomings begin to aggravate the challenges of governance in their hands.”

The former Osun State Governor added: “Before the party knew it, the process had been hijacked by polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a loop-hole for stifling APC governments’ efforts in its desire to fight corruption.

“Most Northern elites, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels who never liked Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance are quickly backing-up the rebellion against APC with strong support.

“While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the South-West see the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

Odigie-Oyegun himself has said that he cannot be stampeded out of office, saying efforts will be made to resolve all issues.

The party’s state chairmen also last week after a meeting in Abuja, expressed support for the party chairman.

In a communique signed by Chairman of the Kano chapter Alhaji Umar Haruna Mohammed, the party chiefs expressed concern over the crises rocking the party over the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.

“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.”

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging as APC carcus meet

Bribe allegation: My story, Oyegun, APC National Chairman

All Progressives Congress  (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, is challenging those accusing him of receiving gratification over the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives  elections to prove their claim.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

“It is my integrity they are trying to smear”, Oyegun fired back yesterday.

The party leader had been accused of being bribed to conduct mock election that produced Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila as the APC candidates for the Senate President and House Speaker respectively.

But some APC senators not only defied the party’s choice, but also collaborated with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to elect Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as House Speaker.

The opposition PDP Senator Ike Ekweremadu equally emerged as Deputy Senate President.

One of those who accused Oyegun of being compromised on the mock election issue and asked for his resignation was the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank.

By virtue of his office, many see him as having taken sides, especially with the northern power bloc in the party seemingly being controlled by President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubukar.

Some quarters have also aligned him with the camp of Saraki, accusing him of ditching the camp of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, which worked assiduously for his enthronement as National Chairman.

But the allegations, according to Oyegun are unfounded.

He maintained his neutrality in the emerging power blocs, saying that his interest was to bring the party back together to deliver on its campaign promises  to Nigerians.

The APC leader spoke with Sunday Vanguard, yesterday. Excerpts:

His feelings on  the crisis

“It is an unfortunate thing and I think it has arisen because of the clash within major interest groups within the party and that has given rise to gross disloyalty and an unacceptable level of indiscipline and disrespect to the party. But that notwithstanding, we are doing everything we can to stop this civil war and bring the party back again so that we can focus on our essential agenda of delivering service to the people of this nation. What is happening now is very unacceptable and painting us in a very bad light. But thank God we have this period of recess in the National Assembly to bring things back together again. We are doing everything we can to ensure that by the time the national assembly reconvenes, all of these things would have been squarely behind us.

On gratification

“Well, the issue is simple. Gratification to do what and for whom? And what have I done to justify that gratification except to stand as neutral as possible in the circumstance and emphasize adherence to the supremacy of the party. So that is it. Gratification for what? Let anybody who says he brought come out and say that. It is a public thing. It is my integrity they are trying to smear. That comes only through blackmail from some forces that feel that I am standing in the way for whatever their intentions are. But that is neither here nor there. What’s important is that we must put our party back together again and focus on the promises we have made to the Nigerian people.”

Punitive measures for indiscipline

“Well, at this stage, that is something we are still considering. When there is indiscipline, there are penalties. But first, in the process. When you restore peace, there has to be a make for the indiscipline. There is no question about that. One way or the other. But what is important now is putting the party back together.

Buhari’s intervention to end rift

The reality is that we will welcome all hands, all assistance to put things back together again. The president was right. The House has the freedom in consultation with the party which is exactly what has happened. But other interests have prevailed in the matter. The process has derailed but must be put back on the rails.

Smear campaign, call for resignation and reputation

That is going on all the time. People are trying to push me in one direction or the other but one thing I have to my credit is my neutrality. I don’t belong to any of the contending power blocs in the party. And of course, that has its price. And that is why you have heard a lot of it directed personally to smear me. I have built a reputation that has lasted for over 70 years. I don’t have to go and be taking peanuts from some political gladiators. So, whatever they try to do, they cannot smear my character. If anybody has given me gratification to do anything, let him come out and say so, where and when and how much.

The visit of eight governors

“Well, the Governors came to consult with me which is beautiful, legitimate and I valued the views and the ideas that they came with and that was all there was to it. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Just consultations?

“There is a situation in the party and people have views to express and they came to express their views. It was very good and I value those views. We voted for change and we cannot start messing around now.”

 

Bribe allegation: My story, Oyegun, APC National Chairman

We"re Working Hard To End APC Crisis - Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, has assured that the party is working around the clock to resolve the crisis that has rocked it in recent times, to pave the way for the party to fulfill its campaign promises to Nigerians.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

‘’The party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious, happy APC family,’’ Chief Oyegun said in a statement he issued in Abuja on Friday.

‘’We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead,’’ he said.

In the meantime, the APC Chairman has risen in defence of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is being vilified in his home state of Kwara for signing the statement conveying the party’s reaction to the election of the National Assembly leadership on June 9.

Oyegun said Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s statement was issued with the knowledge and consent of the party, hence it would be wrong for anyone to make him a sacrificial lamb for carrying out his party responsibilities.

He said: ‘’The party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty by signing the said statement by the party.

‘’At a personal risk and putting the party’s interest above his own, he issued that statement which reflected the position of the party at that particular time.

“The party is solidly behind him, and it will be wrong for anyone to interpret the statement as representing his personal opinion.’’

We"re Working Hard To End APC Crisis - Odigie-Oyegun

Saraki holds peace talks with aggrieved Senators

Senate President Bukola Saraki has started reaching out to the All Peoples Congress leadership and colleagues opposed to his emergence as the head of the National Assembly.

Bukola Saraki

A senator loyal to him, Rafiu Ibrahim, made this known in Abuja on Sunday just as The PUNCH learnt that the APC leadership decided to soft-pedal on its initial opposition to the outcomes of the National Assembly leadership elections in order to stave off rebellion by its lawmakers.

Ibrahim said, “We are currently meeting with our colleagues in the Senate. Apart from the fact that the Senate President has been meeting with those who are aggrieved , we, members of the Like Minds Senators are also engaging them on one-on-one basis.

“We are also meeting with our party leadership and I think the peace moves are achieving good result. It is in the interest of everybody that we have a united Senate.”

Some members of the Senate Unity Forum who are loyalists of Senator Lawan, also confirmed that Saraki and some of his supporters were making overtures to them.

The senators, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity because their leaders had barred them from granting interviews on the issue were, however, silent on whether the Saraki group offered them anything in return for their support.

A ranking senator from one of the South-West states said Saraki personally discussed with him on the matter.

He said, “It is true that the Like Minds Senators have been talking with us to support the leadership of Saraki but we told them that we are not having any personal issues with the Senate president and his deputy, Ekweremadu.

“We are upholding the sanctity of our political party and its leadership. We have told them our conditions for mutual relationship and cooperation. It is left for them to take appropriate actions.”

Another senator from the South-West also explained that the SUF members would meet this week to review the reply of their party’s leadership to their conditions.

The group had through its spokesperson, Senator Kabiru Marafa, said it was demanding the immediate resignation of Ekweremadu and the investigation of the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, for his role in the June 9 Senate inauguration.

Our correspondents however gathered in Abuja on Sunday that the APC leaders opted to sheathe their sword after the Presidency reportedly intervened in the matter.

The APC had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday described the victory of Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as “unacceptable.”

Saraki, a former Kwara State governor, beat APC choice, Ahmed Lawan, to clinch the post while Dogara defeated Femi Gbajabiamila.

Describing Saraki and Dogara’s decisions to defy its directive and vie for the posts as an act of “monumental indiscipline and betrayal,” the party vowed to sanction them in accordance with the provisions of its constitution.

However, after a series of consultations, the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Friday announced that they were ready to work with Saraki and Dogara.

A prominent member of the APC,who pleaded for anonymity, explained to one of our correspondents that what Odigie-Oyegun said represented the position of the party’s National Working Committee.

He added that the APC was aware that if it kept to its hard line on the matter, the National Assembly members who backed Saraki and Dogara might rebel against it (APC).

The party member said, “We have to live with the reality that Saraki and Dogara are the new leaders of the National Assembly. We don’t want a rebellion from our Senators and House members.

“However, those who defied us and did what they did will face a panel which will give them fair hearing before a disciplinary action.”

Asked what the disciplinary action would be, he replied, “Even a warning is a form of sanction.

“We have no intention to open ourselves up to what the Peoples Democratic Party did to itself in the case of (Aminu)Tambuwal .

“When he (Tambuwal) emerged against their (PDP) will, instead of finding a way to manage it, they alienated him until he left them with a lot of his colleagues to join us (APC). We will not allow this to happen to us.”

The party source also revealed that as part of efforts to further douse tension, Saraki and Dogara would be prevailed upon not to sideline their defeated colleagues.

Towards this end, they are expected to concede the chairmanship of some of choice committees in both the Senate and the House to members of the other camp.

When asked if indeed Saraki had waved the Olive branch before the party’s leadership and if indeed it had accepted to work with Saraki and Dogara, the APC spokesman, referred him to Odigie-Oyegun.

But calls to the mobile telephone number of Odigie-Oyegun were neither picked nor returned.

However, The PUNCH learnt that the leadership of the APC had taken a position that the remaining seats in the House of Representatives like the Majority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Leader and Deputy Whip, were party seats.

Another top APC member said, “The party has come into these positions because they are party seats and the party reserves the power to share it to the zones.

“What we hear is that, to calm nerves, Femi Gbajabiamila(the defeated APC choice candidate for the House speakership) will be the majority leader, while a member from Kano State, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, will be his deputy.

“Monguno will likely be the chief whip while Pally Iriase from Edo State, will deputise for him.”

But a former House spokesman and influential member of the 8th Assembly, Zakari Mohammed, said that replacing an elected presiding officer with another person was not possible.

Mohammed noted that it was likely that people were making speculations in view of the outcomes of the elections.

But he parried a question on what role the House or the party would assign to Gbajabiamila.

“I don’t know, I can’t comment on that one,” he said.

Saraki holds peace talks with aggrieved Senators

APC bows to pressure, accept Saraki as senate president

The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Friday said the party had accepted Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the Senate.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

He said the reality was that Saraki’s colleagues had duly elected him and the party was ready to live with the reality.

Odigie-Oyegun spoke with State House correspondents shortly after joining members of the transition committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to present their report to the President at the Defence House, Abuja.

Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, both of the APC emerged as leaders of the National Assembly on Tuesday against the directives of the party, which had earlier asked its members to vote for Senator Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila.

Since their emergence, the party had insisted that Saraki, Dogara and their supporters would be sanctioned.

When asked specifically whether the party would accept Saraki as the President of the Senate, Odigie-Oyegun said, “Of course! He has been duly elected by his colleagues. We have a reality and we must live with it.”

On Saraki’s aborted visit to the APC secretariat on Thursday, the party chairman said there were a lot of consultations going on at that time and he could not have been in two places at the same time.

He however said party chiefs were already talking with Saraki and would not want to make a noise about it.

He said, “Nothing went wrong (on Saraki’s aborted visit), there were a lot of consultations and you can’t be in two places at the same time.

“So, it was not comfortable for us, but we have been talking. We don’t want to make a song and dance of it, everything is being put in proper perspective.”

On the crisis that erupted in the party after the elections in the National Assembly, Odigie-Oyegun said the APC had faced greater challenges before and the latest one too would pass away.

“It is not the first or second time we have passed through this kind of scenario and we came out strong. This may not even be the last time, we come out every time stronger and more determined,” he said.

The party chairman said what happened was within the APC family and they were sorting it out within the family.

He added that aggrieved persons who threatened to go to court were doing so within their rights.

“People say they are going to court which is their right, but as a party, we are looking at everything and we are coming out strong,” he explained.

APC bows to pressure, accept Saraki as senate president

Every govt needs a strong opposition – Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Wednesday said any ruling political party required a strong opposition to keep it on its toes for the benefit of the populace.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Oyegun said this while receiving the former President of Niger Republic, Alhaji Mamman Usman, who led a delegation to pay the APC chairman a congratulatory visit at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The APC chairman, who commended the former Nigerien leader for the visit, said democracy was “not just about periodic conduct of elections but a commitment to a cause of giving a choice to the people in a free and fair manner.”

He said the political party in power in the past had frustrated several efforts by the Nigerian opposition to form coalitions and alliances.

According to him, the political parties that merged to form the APC were not given any chance to survive let alone win elections.

He said the APC survived several attempts to scuttle its formation and operations until the elections, noting that the situation got so bad that the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party resorted to smear campaigns and intimidation in a bid to frustrate the opposition’s presidential candidate and the leaders.

Usman had earlier said that his visit to the party secretariat was to among other things congratulate the APC leaders for their victory in the 2015 elections.

He said he was part of election observer missions to Nigeria in 1999 and 2011, but that he was not privileged to be part of those who participated in the 2015 elections.

Usman, however, said that he monitored the elections until the results were announced.

According to him, Nigeria’s neighbours always follow the country’s elections with a lot of apprehension because the situation in Nigeria always has ripple effects for the West African sub-region and the entire African continent.

Every govt needs a strong opposition – Odigie-Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun leads APC NWC to Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress inside the Defence House, Maitama, Abuja.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

The President’s guests were led to the meeting by the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Odigie-Oyegun later told journalists that the visit was to pledge the NWC’s loyalty to the President and express their determination to work with him through thick and thin.

He said Buhari could always depend on the party, which he used as a platform to become the President.

He added that the party noted the fact that expectations were extremely ‎high and that the public expected a totally new dawn.

He said, “On that note, we told him we are with him and that he will succeed because the entire party will be galvanised as one man behind him to ensure that days into this Presidency, Nigerians will indeed see that things are changing.

“All the problems cannot be solved in one day that you will flick to bring that kind of eventuality.

“But what Nigerians want is to be sure that we are getting it right and that we are on the proper path towards answering their long frustration towards amielorating their condition and that is what they will get.”

The party chairman said they had frank discussions and the President was appreciative ‎of their declaration of support.

He added that Buhari briefed the party chiefs on one or two issues and they were quite pleased with the way things were going.

On how long Nigerians will have to wait for the list of ministerial nominees, Odigie-Oyegun said, “All I can say is that Mr. President is committed to carrying the party along in everything that he does and we are very grateful for that.

“He has always been like that; he has put the party in the front burner in all the things he does at all times and he has continued to do that.”

When asked to comment on the criticism trailing the decision of the President to declare his assets privately, contrary to his electoral promise, the APC chairman said only Buhari himself could answer the question.

He however expressed the belief that the process leading to the election of principal officers of the National Assembly would not lead to crisis.

Odigie-Oyegun leads APC NWC to Buhari