Inside the major decisions taken at APC NEC meeting

Some major decisions were taken at the just-concluded meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The meeting was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, state Governors and some members of the National Working Committee of the party.

Below are the highlights of the meeting:

1) Following the recommendation of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party (APC) was dissolved. This means the Adams Oshiomhole-led leadership of the party was sacked.

2)A Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Committee was then appointed to be led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State. Mr Buni was national secretary of the APC until his election as governor in 2019.

He was quoted as saying after the meeting, “Nobody is happy with the situation under which the party has been operating. This decision was taken by NEC to address these issues, nobody is being targeted and it’s against nobody.

“As a former two-term National Secretary, I know the party very well, and it’s all about doing justice to every member of the party. Without justice, there won’t be peace. If you don’t manage crisis obviously crisis will manage you.”

3) Other 12 members were also appointed for the Caretaker Committee. They are:
1. Governor Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) Chairman
2. Governor Isiaka Oyetola (representing South West)
3. Ken Nnamani (South East representative)
4. Stella Okorete – (Women Rep)
5. Governor Sani Bello (representing North-Central)
6. Dr James Lalu (Representing Physically Challenged)
7. Senator Abubakar Yusuf (Senatè Representative)
8. Hon. Akinyemi Olaide – (representing House of Representatives)
9. David Leon (representing South-South)
10. Abba Ari (representing North West)
11. Prof. Tahir Mamman (representing North East)
12. Ismail Ahmed – (Youth Representative)
13. Sen. Akpan Udoedehe- Secretary

4) The new Caretaker Committee is to conduct a National Convention to elect new leadership for the APC within six months.

5) The APC governorship primary in Edo State, which produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s governorship candidate, was ratified.

6) A resolution was reached for APC members to discontinue all litigations involving members of the party, which are connected to party matters.

In making a case for this resolution, President Buhari told participants, “The directive had been issued before, unfortunately, some members failed to heed the directive. Thus, at this time, it must be made a Resolution of the Party   which must be effectively enforced with dire consequences for members who choose to ignore the directive.”

The APC has been rocked by endless crises at the national and state levels which recently culminated in a court-ordered suspension of its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and the exit of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from the fold. The Deputy Governor of Ondo State also left the party, citing irreconcilable differences with his Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the reason for doing so.

Despite today’s NEC meeting, the APC remains deeply divided with some of its most influential chieftains sidelined in the decisions leading to the convening of the meeting.

Party sources said former Governors Bola Tinubu and Bisi Akande were not consulted before the meeting. Both men are not members of APC NEC.

Mr Tinubu had expected to be made chairperson of the party’s Board of Trustees, which would have made him an automatic member of NEC.

But internal wrangling has made it impossible for the APC to constitute its BOT.