Buhari urges caution as APC governors split over Oyegun

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* Villa meeting inconclusive
* Anxiety over ‘predictable’ advisory panel

Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition, some All
Progressives Congress (APC) governors are still bent on tenure
extension for the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

They say the party does not need to conduct congresses and
national convention, but the President has warned the governors
against illegal acts capable of making the party to lose the 2019
poll on technical grounds.

The party has inaugurated a Technical Committee on the future of
the NWC. But, a big row has broken out over the committee’s
membership.

Some members of the committee are said to be the sponsors of the
tenure elongation motion at the penultimate National Executive
Committee (NEC) meeting.

The President yesterday met with APC governors following a split
among them over his advice at last Tuesday’s National Executive
Committee meeting that the party should hold congresses and a
national convention to elect new executives.

Governors at the meeting include Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jubrilla
Bindow (Adamawa), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun),
Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Abdufattah Ahmed
(Kwara).

Also at the meeting were Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Abdullahi Ganduje
(Kano) and Tanko Al- Makura (Nasarawa). Kashim Shettima (Borno) and
Rochas Okorocha (Imo),

Others include Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo),
Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdulaziz
Yari (Zamfara), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Nasir
El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

The governors declined comments on the meeting which started at
2:14 p.m and ended around 3.30 p.m.

One of the governors confirmed that they were directed not to
speak with reporters.

The governors met briefly among themselves before the
President’s arrival.

A source at the session said: “We were given a sheet of paper
which indicated only the hall at the Presidential Villa where the
session will hold.

“The sheet was without agenda, indicating that the President did
not want tempers to rise before taking his seat.

“In his opening remarks, the President made it clear that the
essence of the meeting was for ‘the APC family to come and
reconcile our position with regards to the continuation or
non-continuation of the Oyegun-led NWC in office.”

He said the meeting was to “see how we will work towards
successful conduct of congresses and National Convention”.

The source however said although six leaders, including the
President, spoke, there was tension such that they could not agree
on a “definite position”.

“We opted to hold another meeting by 9pm to take a final
position.”

Another source at the meeting said: “The President convened the
meeting in order to discuss the minor differences we have had since
the President told NEC meeting that it was better to hold elective
congresses and National Convention.

“Many views were expressed for and against the one-year tenure
extension for the NWC. There was a lot of rationalisation of ideas
by those who wanted Oyegun’s tenure extended.

“At the session, Governors El-Rufai, Akeredolu, Yahaya Bello and
Simon Lalong were vehement on why the tenure of the NWC should be
extended by one year.

“Each of them stood up to rationalise the tenure extension by
claiming that whatever the NEC does is legal and it won’t have
consequences on the legality of APC’s electoral victory in
2019.

“They warned that congresses and National Convention could
divide the party and lead to a split before the 2019 polls. They
said it would be better to keep the party united than leaving it in
disarray.

“But other governors queried the affront of pro-tenure
elongation governors in revisiting the advisory of the President on
the need to follow the 1999 Constitution and the APC
Constitution.

“Those who supported Buhari’s position expressed disappointment
that Oyegun went ahead to inaugurate a technical committee which
they considered to be an ‘affront to the President.”

Another source said: “After many arguments for and against, the
President repeatedly warned APC governors to be careful and stick
to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and APC
Constitution.”

“The President said we must conduct party activities within the
laws in order not to lose the 2019 elections.

“Following that note of caution from the President, we opted to
hold another meeting by 9pm on Tuesday.”

The source added: “We know why some governors were desperate for
tenure elongation. They had issues in their states and they are
overwhelmed with fears that their second term bid might be
difficult because they might not be able to determine the outcome
of the congresses in their states.

“We are watching if they will now ask us to ignore the
President’s advice.”

The source added: “While the drama was playing out, the Vice
President and some experienced governors just listened, without
speaking.”

A governor from the north, who is backing the President’s
position, spoke exclusively with our correspondent.

He said: ” Mr. President is the leader of the party and a leader
with such substantial support and loyalty from our members. I think
his views should be respected. Even if his views are different from
our position, as loyalists, we should look deeper into it.

“We need to respect the President’s perspective, more so when
such a position is in tandem with the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and APC Constitution. As democrats, we should
be at peace with such a position.

“In any case, the President’s position on the basis of law has
not violated our rules and the 1999 Constitution. The President is
always mindful of the rule of law and due process.”

Also, there is anxiety among the NWC members over the
constitution of a Technical Committee to review President Buhari’s
advice against tenure elongation.

An NWC member said members were not consulted by the national
chairman before he picked the committee members. Most of the
members are for tenure elongation, he said.

“The chairman only informed us that he has set up the panel.
Ordinarily, we should sit down and consider each nominee on
merit.

“Look at the list: Governors El-Rufai, Akeredolu, Lalong are
tenure elongation proponents and others like Legal Adviser Muiz
Banire and the external legal advisers who are even defending the
tenure elongation in court are members,” he said, adding:

“It is an open secret that these governors were coordinating the
mobilization of support for tenure extension for all of us in the
NWC.

“The outcome of the assignment of the Technical Committee is
predictable. It will work to the answer. We have some apolitical
members on the committee but pro-tenure extension members will sink
their voices.

“Once we allow a Caretaker Committee to nominate our candidates,
the election will be half won by either PDP or any coalescing
party. Such a committee is an aberration to the APC
Constitution.

“Before we went for Easter holidays, Oyegun repeatedly said he
would constitute an ‘independent technical committee’ and we were
wondering if such a panel will be higher than the party or NWC.

“It is unfortunate that some governors are just out to create a
crisis in the party. If they want any NWC member back, all they
have to do is to canvass for votes at the National Convention or
they can meet with other leaders for consensus on candidates.”