ABUJA—The All Progressives Congress,
APC is this week heading for a titanic clash between incumbent governors
and the former governors in the party over the fate of the national
chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
The former governors, Vanguard learned have mounted a
strong defence of Odigie-Oyegun as a matter of solidarity on account of
the fact that the national chairman is himself a former governor.The former governors mounting the defence of the national chairman are led by Senator Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, himself a three time governor of Yobe State.
The incumbent governors, who are said to be bent on removing Odigie-Oyegun, are, however, piling on the pressure and may have resorted to cutting off funding for the party. The development it was gathered has further stifled party activities.
The face-off between the two sides it was gathered may have contributed to the weekend decision to postpone the inauguration of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT and there were indications that the National Executive Committee, NEC, earlier scheduled to hold this week may also be postponed.
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A source who is close to Odigie-Oyegun’s camp told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the 1992 set of governors in the party led by Senator Ibrahim have met and decided to support Oyegun, who is also a member of the set.
“The team would try to see the President, Muhammadu Buhari on the issue if responses from other party chieftains are not positive”, the source said, adding that members would also reach out to influential party leader and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We have many of our members in the party and outside the party. We have chosen to back Oyegun after our meeting because we have seen that some people are only looking for how to control the party at all levels,” the source added.
However, the incumbent governors are said to be working round the clock to achieve their aim. An aide to one of the governors said this is reflected in why most of them have cut off funding of the party, as well as visiting the national secretariat.
The game pre merger of the APC playing out once more. The incumbent Governors plotting with Chief Tom Ikimi to emerge as the Party's National Chairman at the Convention. The same way our Governor in the State and majority of the State Party EXCO supported Tom Ikimi against Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. At the end of the day and at the Convention, they failed and Chief Oyegun emerged victorious as the first elected Chairman of the Party. This is not going to be different. Chief Oyegun will come out victorious and will relinquish the position on his own terms and his scheduled time. He cannot be eased out.
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