APC crisis deepens

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) restated on Friday that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party can reverse the one-year extension of its tenure.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who stated this, said in a chat that the party has not even commenced any plan for the congresses and the national convention.

This stance has worsened the crisis in the party as the tenure of the incumbent officers expires in June.

He was reacting to insinuations that the National Convention Committee would emerge next week and that some leaders of the party had settled for former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

Abdullahi said: “Some of these things you are hearing are far-fetched,” adding that only the National Working Committee will constitute the National Convention Committee.

Reports, however, indicated that after the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State on Thursday and Friday, forces loyal to Senator Bola Tinubu had settled for Adams Oshiomhole, as the party’s national chairman and a source said he has been asked to start wearing “agbada.”

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Some of the core loyalists of the president, including the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai; the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello and some ministers are said to be backing the National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

Abdullahi told Saturday Tribune on Friday that “some of these things you are hearing are obviously farfetched. NEC has not reversed its earlier resolution. They will need to get NEC to do that. Only the NWC can constitute the convention committee. There is no such thing. Case is still in court. So, no one can do anything until that case is ruled on.

“The committee set up by the NWC hasn’t submitted its report. And it can report back only to NEC.”

He said the committee would end its work in a matter of days.

Another source, however, said that Oyegun’s sympathisers in the Villa notwithstanding, “the game is up for him.”

“He knows the game is up but those not comfortable with President Buhari’s new stance want to hide under the existing court cases to say the party cannot take any action until the cases are exhausted or withdrawn from court. But they should know that time is of the essence.

“The same people that are saying the president’s view isn’t superior to NEC refused to convene NEC meeting when he was ill and attending to his health last year in the United Kingdom,” the source argued.

Saturday Tribune’s checks revealed that there was no pronouncement yet on the technical committee that Malam Abdullahi promised to unveil on Thursday.