• NEC passes vote of confidence on Tinubu, as Buhari, Osinbajo, Fayemi, others shun meeting
• El-Rufai’s grievance-driven commentaries can’t be taken serious, says Morka
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has directed the National Working Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to set up committees to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.
The president gave the directive at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party held on Wednesday in Abuja.
This is even as former President Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi; former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai; former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; and former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, among others, were conspicuously absent at the meeting.
As statutory members of the party’s NEC, they were expected to be in attendance. However, their absence might not be unconnected with the crack within the ruling party.
El-Rufai had been up in arms against the leadership of the party, especially with the refusal to hold NEC meeting for 18 months.
The former governor has also launched attacks on the policies of the Tinubu-led administration.
President Tinubu commended the NEC) of the party for doing a good job.
He stated: “The National Working Committee is doing a good job and I am happy with them.
“In all the various states, let us set up reconciliatory committees to liaise with these aggrieved leaders. I am appealing to them, please be calm.
“I am grateful to all Nigerians for the electoral successes that we have from one state to another and I am also happy for the various people joining us in the National Assembly.”
The president added that he was happy that the food prices are going down particularly during this Ramadan period.
“Everywhere in the world, especially in Europe, we have economic shocks and we are doing everything possible.”
He challenged the NEC to find a way to celebrate the progressive ideals of his administration, while assuring the governors and Nigerians that he would sustain these progressive changes.
On his part, the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said the ruling party has embarked on massive reconciliation of aggrieved party members, adding that the move was gradually yielding desired positive results for the party.
According to him, “Through dialogue, we have initiated high level discussions amongst party leaders and other stakeholders with a view to resolve lingering differences between our members. The conflict reconciliation committee, which you are about to approve, will build on this.”
Ganduje stressed that another promise the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was fulfilling was the improvement of the membership base of the party.
He added: “Today, we have in our fold the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, who led prominent politicians from other political parties to join us, notably among them are former Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Edwin Nkwegu; Senator Obinna Ogba, Senator Uche Ekwunife from Anambra State, and thousands of their supporters.”
At the meeting, Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State moved a motion that a vote of confidence be passed on Tinubu and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The motion for adjournment indefinitely was moved by a member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ndubeze, by 2:26 pm and it was seconded by the Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi.
Some of the NEC members in attendance were: Governors of Edo, Monday Okpebholo; Ondo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Benue State, Hyacinth Alia; Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji; Kaduna, Musa Sani; Nasarawa State, Abdulahi Sule; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Kogi, Usman Ododo; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun; and Niger Mohammed Umar Bago, among others.
Some former governors in attendance were: Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Zamfara Bello Mattawalle, among others.
Others present during the meeting included Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu; former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and other principal officers of the National Assembly, Ministers, among others.
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, said the NEC has ratified the zoning of chairmanship position of the party to the North-west
He added that a seven-member committee to be chaired by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, was assigned with the task of bringing more members into the NEC of the party.
Speaking on the recent attacks launched against the party and Tinubu’s administration by El-Rufai, Morka urged him to respect his status as a former minister and former governor, saying if he continues to engage, people have a right to also reply him.
He said as opposed to El-Rufai’s claims, all organs of the party are functional.
Morka stated: “All organs of the party are working. What the former governor of Kaduna State said — there is a difference between party men and people who speak because they have a grievance. Grievance-driven commentaries are not to be taken seriously. It was clear from all the comments that the former governor has an axe to grind.
“But for today’s meeting, I was prepared to respond to the former governor and to suggest to him that some of his recent engagements are unnecessary for someone who occupies the position that he has occupied in this country.
“Men who are respected must also continue to justify the respect they get. It is not a good idea that once you are dissatisfied, especially when it comes to personal experiences, then you want to visit your personal grievances on the system of a political party.
“El-Rufai is just one person. Yes, he is a former minister and former governor. He has been up there, but at the end of the day, he is just one person in the party scheme. He is a highly respected citizen but my advice and counsel to him is that he needs to speak in a manner that is befitting of his status. Otherwise, if he continues to engage, people have a right to reply.”
On the absence of some leaders, he said: “As far as I know, I have never known a caucus meeting of our party or NEC meeting of our party to be attended a hundred per cent by all of the members of NEC or caucus and I am not sure that there is really any political party where you have 100 per cent attendance for such meetings.”
He said the party holds its NEC at the convenience of the president whose itinerary is crowded.
“Be rest assured that every member of caucus and NEC was invited. The list of members today was comprehensive. As a matter of fact, we enlarged the list for the meeting today. We had more members invited than we did previously,” he stated.
