2019 Election Will Be Tough, Oyegun Admits...
APC dismisses alleged plan by Saraki, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso to quit party
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has admited that next year’s general election will be a difficult contest for the ruling party.
This is as the party yesterday dismissed as untrue reports that Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso had given conditions to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their returns to the party.
Oyegun said the party cannot afford to allow an air of uncertainty to continue to surround its national leadership if it hopes to be in the right fighting spirit for election.
Speaking while inaugurating the APC national convention committee headed by Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Oyegun said the main task before the committee is to organise free, fair and credible congresses and convention devoid of any rancour.
“We have a tough election ahead of us and we must prime ourselves well for that election. We must not cuddle ourselves with any false sense of a party in power, our population as at today is much more aware of their rights than they have ever been before. So let it be part of your task to ensure that all the dissenting opinions are bought together under one single, united APC,” he said.
Oyegun explained that the party had to undertake to organise the congresses and convention within a short time frame in order to make way for Muslim members who are expected to begin their fasting later in May.
He said the committee has the onerous task of organising a convention that is free and fair to produce a new APC leadership in the shortest possible time.
Oyegun said he expects at the end of the exercise to see a reunited APC under whatever leadership that would emerge.
“The task that you have undertaken to perform is a tough one; first the APC is known for, despite induced controversies, for the cleanest primaries, congresses and convention.”
Oyegun also sought to address the concerns raised by some stakeholders over the sincerity of the leadership on an elective convention, saying the reason for fixing the event within a short period was to make way for Muslim fast which would soon set in.
He said: “Let me take the opportunity to explain this because I have seen many interpretations and renditions in the media that we are having short, sharp elective convention for good reason.
“For months, we have been tussling forward and backwards to agree on acceptable terms regarding the leadership of the party. No responsible organisation will allow these doubts to continue unabated.
“The earlier it is resolved the better so that this party can move and forge ahead. So we decided on a short and sharp period of elections from ward levels until the final event on May 14.”
Oyegun said given what has happened in the last few months, “the see-saw” that the party witnessed, he was pleasantly surprised at the response to yesterday’s inauguration by members of the convention committee.
While speaking to journalists after the inauguration, the Governor of Jigawa State and the Chairman of the convention committee, Badaru sad the party has decided that the national convention will be held in Abuja on May 14.
He gave the assurance that the committee would be fair to all, adding that sale of nomination forms will commence next Wednesday.
Badaru also said that the party has decided to retain the existing zoning arrangement for all the positions.
Meanwhile, the party also yesterday dismissed as untrue reports that Saraki, Tambuwal, and Kwankwaso had given conditions to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their returns to the party.
A national daily (not THISDAY) had reported yesterday that these APC stalwarts had been wooed by the PDP to return to the party. According to the newspaper, the APC bigwigs had however stated that they would only return to the party on a condition that the name of the PDP is changed.
But answering questions from journalists in the State House yesterday, Chairman of APC Convention Planning Committee, Badaru, dismissed the insinuation as a mere rumour, insisting that the men remain loyal party members.
“No. I don’t think so and I have not heard that rumour and I don’t think there is such negotiation going on. It is not true that Tambuwal and Saraki are negotiating with the PDP. We have not heard of that. Some few weeks back, there was rumour about the governor of Benue State but he made it clear at our last (National Executive Committee) NEC meeting that he is not moving anywhere. Those are rumours flying around but they don’t have consequence.
“We are united. Tambuwal is with us and the distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, is also with APC and we have not had any reason to think that they are negotiating elsewhere,” Badaru said.
Asked how he hopes to handle the convention plans in a way that existing division in the party will not be widened, the governor said he was rather sure that the event would promote unity in the party.
“They are all united and I am sure the convention will bring everybody together and in democracy, if you are open and straight forward, things get done well. I don’t think there should be any problem,” he said.
On the perceived recent political unrest in his state, Badaru said it was not a political unrest rather, political horse trading among politicians.
“Political unrest, no, it is not true. It is a normal political chanting. Chanting between groups that are contesting the same position. People passing by and some groups will chant for their own and others will chant for another person and that was what happened. That was a great rally. It is normal in every gathering. You have different supporters supporting different people contesting the same position,” he said.