APC convention: Govs plot Oyegun’s removal

FRESH facts have emerged on why the John Odigie Oyegun-led All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) hurriedly announced a date for conduct of a midterm national convention of the party.

A party source revealed that the announcement of a date for the convention was a deft move by the Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC to ward off plot by the governors on the ticket of the party, who were already pushing for a convention that would ensure the sack of the NWC through proclamation of a vote of no confidence.

The source said that by provision of the APC constitution, a convention was supposed to be conducted once in every two years, a provision that had been breached by the national leadership of the party.

Indication that the governors were pushing for a change in the party leadership was revealed last year by the Imo State governor and chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, who, during a visit to the ruling party secretariat, insisted that the party needed to be restructured.

The source further noted that most members in the NWC were no longer in the good books of  the governors in their respective states.

Further checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that the immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, is the anointed candidate of the APC Governors’  Forum as replacement for the embattled Odigie-Oyegun.

According to a statement made available by the national publicity secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, last week, a midterm non-elective convention would hold in April to fill existing vacancies occasioned by exit of members who had since been offered ministerial positions, among others.

The statement said the processes leading to the national convention would commence with the congress to fill vacancies in the state party structures across the country.

“The vacancies to be filled occurred principally from political appointments, deaths and resignations. The congress to fill the vacancies would be followed closely by another congress to nominate delegates into the midterm non-elective convention of the party.

“The congresses will be followed by the national caucus meeting and finalised with the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, which will consider and set the dates for the national convention, which is expected to hold not later than April 2017,” the statement read.

The scheduled convention, it was gathered, would also avail the party the opportunity to amend its constitution and simultaneously ratify the amended sections.

There are forces within the party, however, who are moving for the replacement of a statutory organ, the Board of Trustees (BoT), with the Elders Forum.