…reaffirms commitment to party
By Tom Okpe
Former Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has explained why he will not attend the All Progressives Congress, (APC) planned Caucus meeting scheduled for Wednesday night, 2nd August, at the Presidential Villa and the National Executive Committee, (NEC) meeting slated for Thursday, 3rd August, 2023, (Today).
Prof Osinbajo, who was Vice President, (2015-2023) contested the party’s Presidential Primaries along with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other contestants, but lost the bid.
He was expected to join President Tinubu for the rescheduled National Caucus meeting of the APC tonight, Wednesday, 2nd August, 2023 at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja along with the incumbent, Kashim Shettima.
The meeting which had been postponed twice, was initially fixed for July 10th, but was shifted to July, 18th, due to external engagements of President Tinubu.
The last postponement was 24 hours before the meeting, following the voluntary resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
A statement by the Acting Secretary, Barrister Festus Fuanter last weekend in Abuja said the meeting will hold by 6 pm.
The party’s National Caucus meeting precedes the National Executive Committee, (NEC) meeting.
It was gathered that the Caucus meeting will consider and approve nomination of former Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Basiru as the next National Chairman and National Secretary of the party respectively.
But, restating his commitment to the party and apologies ahead of the Caucus meeting by his Media Office in a press statement on Wednesday, the Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) expressed regrets for his inability to attend the Caucus meeting of the Party scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
In a letter of apology addressed to the Acting Chairman of the Party, the former VP explained that he was already abroad for engagements to which he had long been committed when he received the invitation to the meeting.
The letter reads: “The Immediate Past Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has reaffirmed his commitment to the ruling Party, APC, even as he expressed his regrets for his inability to attend the Caucus meeting of the Party scheduled for Wednesday 2nd August 2023.
“He had in fact, cancelled some of his engagements abroad to be available for the two previously scheduled caucus meetings of the Party which had to be postponed due to exigencies.
“While wishing the APC fruitful deliberations, he expressed his fidelity to the Party and his availability for future meetings and activities.”
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Expected at the Caucus meeting are all NWC members (except the five National Deputy Officers’) along with past and present Presidents and Deputy President of the Senate, present and past Speakers of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speakers and serving Majority and Minority Leaders, Whips and their Deputies in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Also expected at the crucial meeting are past and present Governors, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary of the National Advisory Council of the party, former National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the party, Zonal Chairmen with two members of each zone, one of whom shall be the Zonal Vice Chairman and a woman as well as other members as may be co-opted or appointed by NEC.
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