The National Chairman of
Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, says he has had to endure
“virulent media attacks” over the controversy on tenure extension for party
officials.
Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, addressing the
National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party including President Muhammadu
Buhari, narrated how the tenure extension proposal came about.
He explained that the NEC had
initially approved the one-year tenure extension for federal and state
officials of the party before a request by Mr. Buhari for a reversal.
Read the full text of Mr.
Odigie-Oyegun’s speech below.
Mr. President, Your Excellencies,
it is my pleasure to welcome you and all members of the National Executive
Committee of our party to this important meeting.
Members will recall that at the
meeting of February 27, we requested the NEC to approve a timetable for
congresses and the convention ahead of the expiration of tenure of the current
executive. However, rather than approve the timetable, members expressed
concern that if we embarked on the congresses as planned, the process could
precipitate a series of rancour, which might be difficult for the party to
manage ahead of the coming general elections. It was therefore resolved with a
near unanimous votes of 104 to 4 that the current executives of the party at
all levels be allowed to continue in acting capacity for a period not exceeding
twelve months starting from June 2018.
However, at the subsequent
meeting held on March 27, Mr. President informed NEC that he had had the
opportunity to review the decision of February 27 and had become convinced that
the decision taken by NEC, to the effect that party executives at all levels be
allowed to continue in acting capacity at the expiration of their tenure was
neither supported by the constitution of our party nor that of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
Even as he canvassed this
position, Mr. President graciously announced that he was open to alternative
viewpoints and refused to foreclose further debate on the matter. Given this
opportunity, NEC unanimously agreed that a committee be inaugurated to further
examine the issue and advise the party on the way forward so as to ensure that
whatever decision that we take will not only be in the best interest of the
party, but will also be seen to comply with extant provisions of our laws. The
committee was duly constituted under the leadership of His Excellency, Simon
Lalong, Governor of Plateau State. I am happy to inform NEC that the committee
has concluded its assignment and we are now in a position to report back to
NEC.
Your Excellencies, distinguished
members of NEC, let me seize this opportunity to thank Mr. President for his
rare act of graciousness and humility. By allowing further consideration of the
subject matter even after announcing his preference, Mr. President has proven
to be a true democrat and a genuine party man indeed. Where he could have
imposed his will, Mr. President has exhibited true leadership by allowing
himself to be open to alternative opinion, regardless of his personal interest,
so far as they are consistent with the rule of law. Mr. President, we thank
you.
In the past days, I have read
news reports and all manner of comments and opinions that have tried to frame
the majority decision of NEC as an attempt to primarily secure “tenure
elongation” for Oyegun and the NWC. This is quite unfortunate because nothing
could be further from the truth.
We are looking for ways to
minimize rancor in the party ahead of the next general elections, and we are
looking for ways to save the party from potential legal booby traps. These are
both valid considerations. The challenge that we have faced has been how to
reconcile the two in the best interest of the party.
On a personal note, I have had to
endure virulent media attacks, malicious insinuations and outright character
assassination. However, the responsibility imposed on me by my position as the
National Chairman of the party, demand that I rise above my personal pains and
refuse to yield to the temptation to react in a manner that potentially
complicates the situation for our party. However, I will like to urge everyone
else to remember that regardless of our ambitions and personal interests, the
party is greater than all of us.
Mr. President, Your Excellencies,
distinguished members of NEC. The experience of the last few days has made
clear to us the enormous task in our hands as we go into the elections next
year. If the progressive ideology that we stand for must be an enduring
political order in Nigeria, we who occupy this space now, as founding fathers,
must be willing to make real sacrifices to lay a solid foundation for
generations to come. These sacrifices require of us to discipline our personal
ambitions and selfish interests. If we do this, it would be easier for us to
forge consensus and reach compromise, even on issues that appear to divide us.
I must say that disagreements,
debates and contentions are the hallmarks of progressive politics. Therefore,
let no one tell you that our party was about to collapse only because we
disagree. Our strength however will continue to rest on our ability to forge
consensus even from apparently irreconcilable issues. If anything, what our
experience in the last few days has confirmed is that we can disagree without
being disagreeable; and that our party may be young, but we remain the bastion
of progressive politics in Nigeria.
Therefore, as we settle down for
the business of today, we should bear in mind these principles and be ready to
accept alternative viewpoints, just as Mr. President has done, even when these
viewpoints do not immediately reflect our preferences.
Once again, I welcome everyone
and wish you all successful deliberations.
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A round of applause to the APC National chairman
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