APC governors bow to pressure, back Buhari on tenure

State governors elected on the platform of the ruling All
Progressives Congress have finally bowed to pressure on the issue
of tenure extension for party officials at all levels.

They have now resolved to back President Muhammadu Buhari’s
position that such elongation of tenure is illegal.

Some state governors who met with Buhari again on Wednesday
disclosed their new position to State House correspondents at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A similar meeting between the President and all the governors
had ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.

Those who met the President on Wednesday included governors of
Zamfara, Abdulazeez Yari; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Imo, Rochas
Okorocha;Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun.

At the end of the meeting, Yari told reporters that after the
Tuesday meeting with Buhari, the governors again met late in the
night and decided to round off with consultations with the
President.

He said all the 24 state governors have agreed that elections of
party officials should hold at all levels as canvassed by the
President at the last meeting of the party’s National Executive
Council.

Yari said, “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’s constitution, and respect the constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we collectively agreed that we will have congresses
at all levels – Local – State and National.

“The committee set up by the National Secretariat of our party
headed by governor of Plateau State, is presenting its report later
today (Wednesday). The governors are also meeting with the working
committee today so that we come up with convention committee names
as well as timetable of the election.

“So, 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.”

Okorocha on his part insisted that despite the developments of
the last few days, there is no crisis in the party.

He urged those peddling rumour of crisis in the party to
desist.

“The issue was that some people who believe that we did not have
enough time to organise a party congress and run election. Some
people felt that it was a good idea but the most important thing is
that, if we do that, we will be contravening both our party
constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.

“That is the major issue that we have that they call crisis. We
do not have virus.

“This morning, we met with Mr. President to fine-tune issues,
one regarding the congress and we have resolved that the congresses
at all levels and the Chairman of the elongation committee, is also
fine-tuning the arrangement in the same line. To this effect, the
convention committee will be set out, it will be announced,” he
said.

Okorocha also explained that the decision to hold congress and
convention did not mean that those who have so far held those
positions have done badly.

He said the decision also did not mean that the outgoing
officials cannot re-contest.

“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,” he added.

Lalong also corroborated his colleagues’ position that there is
no crisis in the party.

He confirmed that he would be submitting the report of the
technical committee he heads to the party leadership on
Wednesday.

Buhari had at the party’s NEC meeting of March 27 in Abuja, said
NWC’s tenure extension decided at NEC’s meeting on February 27 was
illegal and unconstitutional.

The NEC had extended the tenure of the Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC and other executive committees of the party
across all levels in the country by one year, starting from
June.

The President had explained that the decision was already
causing acrimony within the party as some of its members who were
not comfortable with the matter had taken it to court.

State governors elected on the platform of the ruling All
Progressives Congress have finally bowed to pressure on the issue
of tenure extension for party officials at all levels.

They have now resolved to back President Muhammadu Buhari’s
position that such elongation of tenure is illegal.

Some state governors who met with Buhari again on Wednesday
disclosed their new position to State House correspondents at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A similar meeting between the President and all the governors
had ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.

Those who met the President on Wednesday included governors of
Zamfara, Abdulazeez Yari; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Imo, Rochas
Okorocha;Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun.

At the end of the meeting, Yari told reporters that after the
Tuesday meeting with Buhari, the governors again met late in the
night and decided to round off with consultations with the
President.

He said all the 24 state governors have agreed that elections of
party officials should hold at all levels as canvassed by the
President at the last meeting of the party’s National Executive
Council.

Yari said, “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’s constitution, and respect the constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, we collectively agreed that we will have congresses
at all levels – Local – State and National.

“The committee set up by the National Secretariat of our party
headed by governor of Plateau State, is presenting its report later
today (Wednesday). The governors are also meeting with the working
committee today so that we come up with convention committee names
as well as timetable of the election.

“So, 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.”

Okorocha on his part insisted that despite the developments of
the last few days, there is no crisis in the party.

He urged those peddling rumour of crisis in the party to
desist.

“The issue was that some people who believe that we did not have
enough time to organise a party congress and run election. Some
people felt that it was a good idea but the most important thing is
that, if we do that, we will be contravening both our party
constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.

“That is the major issue that we have that they call crisis. We
do not have virus.

“This morning, we met with Mr. President to fine-tune issues,
one regarding the congress and we have resolved that the congresses
at all levels and the Chairman of the elongation committee, is also
fine-tuning the arrangement in the same line. To this effect, the
convention committee will be set out, it will be announced,” he
said.

Okorocha also explained that the decision to hold congress and
convention did not mean that those who have so far held those
positions have done badly.

He said the decision also did not mean that the outgoing
officials cannot re-contest.

“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,” he added.

Lalong also corroborated his colleagues’ position that there is
no crisis in the party.

He confirmed that he would be submitting the report of the
technical committee he heads to the party leadership on
Wednesday.

Buhari had at the party’s NEC meeting of March 27 in Abuja, said
NWC’s tenure extension decided at NEC’s meeting on February 27 was
illegal and unconstitutional.

The NEC had extended the tenure of the Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC and other executive committees of the party
across all levels in the country by one year, starting from
June.

The President had explained that the decision was already
causing acrimony within the party as some of its members who were
not comfortable with the matter had taken it to court.