APC Crisis: Oyegun meets Buhari over Tinubu’s letter

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun, on Friday met with President Muhammadu Buhari, barely 24 hours after being accused of sabotaging reconciliation efforts in the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the party chairman, who met behind closed door with the president in the State House after the Friday prayers, declined comment on the outcome of the meeting.

The duo reportedly deliberated on the “protest letter’’ submitted to the president by former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, accusing Mr. Odigie-Oyegun of frustrating the activities of the party reconciliation committee.

Mr. Buhari had on February 6 appointed Mr. Tinubu to lead an APC consultation, reconciliation and confidence building team toward improving cohesion in the party ahead of the general elections in 2019.

Mr. Tinubu, in a letter of complaint to Odigie-Oyegun and copied to President Buhari, had accused the party chairman of sabotaging his reconciliation efforts in the party.

The letter, titled: “Actions and conduct weakening the party from within”, was also copied to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Mr. Tinubu accused the APC chairman of compounding the challenge of reconciliation by taking “improper unilateral decisions” on issues affecting national and state chapters.

He also accused Mr. Odigie-Oyegun of delaying the release of information critical to the resolution of crises in state chapters.

Hours of Mr. Odigie-Oyegun’s meeting to Mr. Buhari, evidence emerged the party chairman had responded to the letter.

In the response published by PREMIUM TIMES, the party chairman simply pledged to assist Mr. Tinubu in his task.

“It is most challenging but I believe you will ultimately justify the confidence reposed in you by Mr President. In this, you have my fullest support,” he said.