State Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, declined comments on the outcome of the meeting. But inside sources said there was a deadlock on the issue of tenure elongation for exco members. Not all the governors were in support of the proposition of the President not to recognize the tenure elongation of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. The decision which gave Asiwaju Bola Tinubu edge Chief Oyegun has split the APC governors’ rank, the source said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governors kept sealed lips as they came out of the Council Chamber where they met with the President for over an hour.
Our correspondent overheard one of the governor’s saying that they were directed not to speak with journalists over issues discussed at the meeting.
NAN, however, gathered that the meeting could not reach consensus on some of the issues discussed including the challenges facing the APC national executives over tenure elongation.
The governors, who appeared divided over the issue of tenure elongation for the APC national executives, had met briefly among themselves before the arrival of President Buhari for the meeting.
President Buhari had at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on March 27, said the tenure elongation of the party’s executives was illegal and unconstitutional.
The APC National Chairman, Mr John Odigie-Oyegun had earlier today inaugurated a committee to advise the party on the way forward following President Buhari´s recent opposition to the tenure extension.
The NEC had extended by a year, the tenure of Odigie-Oyegun-led executives and others across all levels of the party starting from June.
The president said the decision was unconstitutional and already causing acrimony within the party.
He said: “In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers.
“As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.
“This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.
“On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advice on the resolution. And what I found is that it contravenes both our party Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’
NAN also learnt that the meeting between the APC governors and the President would be reconvened next week at the same venue.
Governors at the meeting include Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jubrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Abdufatah Ahmed (Kwara).
Also in attendance are Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Tanko Al- Makura (Nasarawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abubakar Bello (Niger).
The rest include Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).
Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe were absent at the meeting while Gov. Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State was represented by his deputy.
