In a deft move, APC Govs align with Buhari

.Make U-turn on tenure elongation of outgoing NWC
· Back President over need for elective convention
· No, NEC has final say – Odigie-Oyegun
In a dexterous move to save the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and to play safe against possible backlash with the presidency, 24 state governors elected on the platform of the APC have again met with President Muhammadu Buhari, with a resolve to abide by the party’s constitution and hold ward congresses as earlier directed by the President.

The governors of the APC had on Tuesday met with the President but the meeting ended in a stalemate.

Five APC governors: Abdulazeez Yari (Zamfara); Simon Lalong (Plateau); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) briefed State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting which held in the office of the President on Wednesday at the Aso Villa, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents, Governor Yari said: “Gentlemen of the press, 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.

“No. 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.

“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 constitution, we are going to respect the 1999 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 National 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.”

Governor 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 rumours of crisis in APC. There is no single crisis in APC.

“The issue was one of 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.

“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.”

Governor Lalong said: “I’m submitting my report today. There is no crisis in our party.”

Buhari had at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of March 27 in Abuja said that the 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.

Following the president’s rejection of the extension, he called a closed-door meeting with the APC governors on Tuesday.

After the meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, most of the governors wore long faces when they emerged from the meeting which lasted for close to two hours.

They simply declined to comment on the outcome of their meeting when State House correspondents approached some of them.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, has said that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party would take the final decision on the issue of the tenure elongation impasse when it meets on Monday next week.

The party also said every other member apart from NEC which is the highest body including the party governors were expressing their views which are personal and not binding on the party.

Addressing newsmen after a closed door meeting on Wednesday at the party secretariat in Abuja with some governors of the party, Odigie-Oyegun, said the party had resolved to hold another NEC meeting next week Monday where report of the technical committee put in place will be presented and decision will be taken.

“Today, the Governors and the National Working Committee of the party decided to sit and look at the issues that are seemingly dividing us. I want to say to you with absolute satisfaction and pride that all the issues you have been commenting about in the last two days have been completely and totally resolved.

“We are back in business as one united and happy family. I want to also say that yesterday; we set up a technical committee as ordered by NEC. From the very first minute that we called them to session, they have worked non-stop because I emphasised when I was inaugurating them that their report was time sensitive.

“It is sensitive because we have already sent out notices for the meeting of NEC which will hold on Monday. I am glad to say that the chairman of the technical committee has reported that his report will be ready this evening or tomorrow morning.

“This report will be placed before NEC on Monday, April 9 and appropriate decision will be taken. Thereafter, we will announce to you the further steps that we are going to take resulting from NEC consideration on the recommendations when we receive them.

“The bottom line is that the APC leadership is back as one happy united and focused party; Strongly behind our president and strongly behind our governors in all the states”, he said.

Also speaking with newsmen, APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “It is left for the NEC to decide and if the committee recommends that the position of NEC should be maintained, then there would be no need for an elective convention and then the president and those who are concerned that the decision we have taken is correct or not will have more confidence in the position of the party.

“But if the committee recommends that congresses should be held then NEC will consider the report and at the same time, decide whether to reverse itself. However, as I speak with you, there is no evidence whether the Committee will recommend this way or the other way”.

Among the governors at the meeting with the party NWC included Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, State; Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state; Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State; Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State; Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State; Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Deputy governor of Niger State, Mohammad Ahmed Ketso.