APC Governors say no division in party, opt for party congresses

All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors, on Wednesday opted for party congresses to elect new party executives at all levels.

Addressing State House correspondents shortly after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari who was joined by Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Abdulahi Ganduje of Kano, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, and Simon Lalong of Plateau, said the decision to go for congresses at all levels had nothing to do with a vote of no confidence on the Odigie Oyegun led National Executive or any other at the different levels.

He maintained that since the tenures of the executives at all levels have expired, it was constitutional for the party to go for congress to allow intenal party democracy.

According to Yari, “You know yesterday we left you in the dark after the meeting and today we have seen so many captions that there is disagreement between the governors over the issue of party Chairman or about the party leadership.”

He said “We had a meeting with Mr. President yesterday (Tuesday), and we extended the meeting tonight and we followed up with the consultations with the President now” adding that “We consulted and all the 24 governors of the APC are in the same page with Mr. President that we are going to respect our party constitution, we are going to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So therefore, we collectively agreed that we will have congresses at all levels – Local – State and National”.

“And the committee set up by the National Secretariat of our party headed by governor of Plateau State, is presenting its report later today. 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,” he stated further.

Yari said from what they have said “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 said, “I just want to let you know that there is no crisis in the APC at all. And we want to use this opportunity to advise the media operatives to stop spreading rumors of crisis in APC. There is no single crisis in APC”.

The governor added that “The issue was one of people who believe that we did not have enough time to organize 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”.

He said the meeting with the president was “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”.

Okodocha said “But let me correct one impression, the issue of congress and convention does not mean that the previous people who have served the party have done badly. And it does not mean that they cannot come back or that they cannot re-contest, that is not it. 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.”

-thebridgenewsng.com

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