APC NEC passes vote of confidence on Odigie-Oyegun; Buhari talks tough

Reprieve seems to have come the way of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party passed a vote of confidence on him.
The NEC passed the vote on Odigie-Oyegun, who has been under fire from party members to resign in its first meeting on Friday in Abuja.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the party’s decision while briefing newsmen about details of the NEC meeting.
The embattled chairman had repeatedly said that he did not take bribe to instal the leadership of the 8th National Assembly.
”The National Legal Adviser of APC came to seek the approval of NEC as to certain categories of members who should be members of the Board of Trustees.
”The approval motion was moved and it was unanimously adopted, subsequently, the NEC and the governors passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the party,” Mohammed said.
He said the NEC had also provided an enabling platform to look into the National Assembly logjam and that the meeting rose with two firm resolutions.
”The president of the Senate and the Speaker also pledged to find lasting solution to the logjam, two points were unanimously agreed on today.
”One was the issue of party supremacy. It was agreed that the party should be supreme. Secondly, this government must work. It must deliver on its campaign promises and bring about the change the people of Nigeria want,” Mohammed said.
He admitted that there was a problem but emphasised that the NEC had provided an enabling environment to resolve the party issues.
”We have a problem and we must find the best way to resolve it, this house which is the APC, must not fall. The less we say about the logjam, the better for the nation. Let us dwell on issues that can move the country forward, bring about cohesion, not just in the party but in the polity.
”I cannot say yes or no that the Senate President and the Speaker have been accepted because I will be pre-empting NEC but the party is working to resolve the crisis.”
When asked about the perceived slow pace of the president, he said ”it is just a perception. This is the first time there will be a transition. He is not slow. I can assure you that in the next few weeks, very soon, there’ll be a rash of appointments.”
Mohammed said part of the progress the government had made was the directive given to some agencies to pay monies directly into the federation account and close other illegal accounts.
He listed the agencies as Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Nigeria Customs Service.
He said Buhari’s integrity and character had attracted more friends for Nigeria than a few years ago, adding that the fight against insurgency would see vast improvements soon.
Also, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State expressed optimism that the crisis bedevilling the party was almost over.
”Many people think that there will be problems between APC members at this meeting but I’m assuring Nigerians that we have met and discussed what affects us and we understood ourselves.
”We also reiterated our support and loyalty to our leadership. We are also going to meet on the National Assembly crisis and it will be resolved amicably. So, I can confidently say the crisis rocking the party is almost over now,” Okorocha said.
Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari said that all APC faithful must collectively come together to rise above the current crisis threatening to engulf the party.
He said ‎party members should strive to win the war (National Assembly crisis) as they won the battle (general elections).
He said: ”APC has won the battle and lost the war which is a paradox of democracy and we shall see how we shall manage it. How do we manage it? We move forward.
“I have already appealed to you through the chairman, the leadership of the party, through the governors, through our lawmakers and the APC must not disappoint its constituency, the nation.
”We have had to convince our ‎individual constituencies that we are worthy of sacrifices they had made in staying awake days and nights, travelling all over the country and making sure the party emerged victorious.
”What subsequently happened is human and, as human beings, we are not perfect but let our collective actions prove that we’ve won the election, the battle, and we will eventually win the war,” he said.
Buhari‎ further urged the party members to honour the platform through which they won the elections and gave a background of how he contested his present position and lost three times.
”Whoever wants to run for elected office as a Nigerian must have a platform and that platform is the political parties hence the superiority of the party because that is our platform,” the president said.
He told the story of the party from the beginning when other parties came together to form APC, how INEC rejected their initial merger, how the first convention was planned and who was instrumental at the initial stage.
”I am going through all these (stories) because not all of us here participated in this and for you to reflect and thank the leadership of the party at various stages for going through all these which wasn’t easy.
”But God, in His infinite mercy, has paid us by giving us success, let us not throw this success to the wind.
“ Let us, as members of APC, ‎no matter our personal differences, get together and meet the mandate given to us by this country. This is my personal appeal and, in the name of God, whatever your personal interest is‎ and ambition, please keep it close to your heart and in your pocket. Let APC work and let this system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies.
”I appeal to you to please continue working together and please accept the superiority of the party….because I respect the superiority of the party,” he said.
The president congratulated Odigie-Oyegun for leading the party to victory and acknowledged the presence of the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Odigie-Oyegun said it was unfortunate that the first NEC meeting was convened hurriedly but congratulated the members on the landslide victory at the polls.
”The main item on the agenda is the ratification of aspects of members of the Board of Trustees,” he said.
He lauded the character of the president and his deputy, saying APC became easily believable because of their integrity.
He said that ”APC governors have swollen from 14 to 22 and we are still counting.’’
Buhari arrived at the party secretariat at 11:04 a. m. and left ‎at 12:40 p. m.
Governors of Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Imo, Bauchi and Lagos ‎states were among dignitaries at the event.
Others were APC National Working Committee ‎members, state chairmen, former governors, senators and zonal leaders.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former Protem Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande were absent.