Major stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who were at the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, were shocked when President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the decision to extend the tenure of the executive members of the party by one year.

President Buhari was at the meeting where the tenure extension decision was first taken.

But on Tuesday he described the decision to extend the tenure of the officials as unconstitutional, noting that the action was a violation of Nigeria’s and APC’s constitutions.

DAILY INDEPENDENT had on Monday, March 26, reported that the controversial tenure extension would be the dominant issue at the NEC meeting even though Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, insisted that it was sub judice and would not be discussed.

Majority of APC members had, on February 27, 2018, voted to extend the life of the present national executive committee of the party by one year when its current term elapses in June.

In a reasonable manner, the president told the leaders at the meeting that the party could not afford to jettison its constitution and expect peace to reign.

He called for a strict adherence to party and constitutional provisions in the interest of the party.

He said after seeking legal advice from the Ministry of Justice, he came to the conclusion that their action of February 27, 2018, contravened the constitutions of the party and Nigeria.

He further noted that though he was part of the resolution to extend the tenure, he had, however, realised that their action may ruin the chances of the party in the 2019 general elections.

Under the circumstances, he advised the national officers to resign at the expiration of their tenure to pave way for a fresh round of elections into party leadership positions.

The president said: “I am delighted to once again welcome you to this National Executive Committee meeting of our great party.

“As we usually do, I hope we will take the opportunity of this gathering to resolve outstanding issues and consolidate our plans towards making APC the strongest defender of the interests of our people.

“In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our national and state executive officers.

“As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expires in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.

“This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.

“On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advice on the resolution.

“And what I found is that it contravenes both our party’s constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“While the APC constitution, in Article 17(1) and 13.2(B) limits the tenure of elected officers to four years, renewable once by another election, the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended), in section 223, also prescribes periodic elections for party executives at regular intervals, which must not exceed four years.

“Furthermore, Article 31 of our party constitution provides that any principal officer wishing to re-contest or contest for another post, must resign from his current post at least one month before the election.

“In this circumstance, what is expected of us is to conduct fresh elections, once the tenure of the current executives approaches its end.

“A caretaker committee cannot remedy this situation, and cannot validly act in place of elected officers.

“Furthermore, I think if we deviate from the constitutional provisions, we might be endangering the fortunes of our party.

“If the tenure of our party executives can be legally faulted, then it means that any nominations and primary elections that they may conduct, can also be faulted.

“This is not to talk of divisions that would arise, and is already arising within the party, when some of our members feel that they are being denied the right to aspire to executive positions, or that internal democracy is not at play within the party.

“I am, therefore, of the firm view that it is better to follow strictly the dictates of our party and national constitutions, rather than put APC and its activities at grave risk.

“Fortunately, we have already approved a timetable for the holding of congresses and elections.

“I think these should be allowed to go forward and all efforts should now be geared towards making them a great success.

“Once again, I welcome you all to this meeting with the hope that we will promote, always, the highest interest of the party and of our people.”

The president’s position reportedly sent a shockwave through party circles.

A party source told DAILY INDEPENDENT that governors loyal to Oyegun, such as Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State looked dejected throughout the meeting, following the president’s speech.

“We were all shocked. Nobody believed the president could come up with that position because one, it was not part of the agenda of the meeting and, two, the matter is in court. We never expected he will speak against tenure extension.

“I noticed the shock on the face of Governors Rotimi Akeredolu and Yahaya Bello and others loyal to the national chairman.

“They couldn’t challenge the president but, from the look of things, they won’t be comfortable if an election is to be held, because their favoured state chairmen may not return and they may not be in the good books of the new national chairman.

“Definitely, this is going to be a game changer,” he said.

In a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said the president’s rejection notwithstanding, the party’s position on the tenure extension still stands.

Abdullahi, who also briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, said the members had agreed that a small technical committee be set up to look into the matter and advise the party on the way forward.

According to him, “Members of NEC thanked the president for his graciousness for saying look, this is not okay; we had a situation because we recall that after the last NEC and this decision was taken, some members felt aggrieved and went to court.

“You know that any issue that goes to court is sub judice. Then that also presented its own complications, so the NEC decided to set up a small team that will advise the party on the way forward.

“At the moment, there is no decision taken, so the position of NEC still stands from the last meeting. There is a technical committee at the moment that is looking at it. That position may change tomorrow but as it is today that is the position of NEC.

“The president’s position has not changed the position of NEC. NEC has not reversed itself on the tenure extension.

“The decision of the NEC on the one-year tenure extension still stands.

“The president is not NEC. The NEC will have to reverse itself, but right now, it has not done that. So, the tenure extension still stands,” Abdullahi said.

Concerning the report of the True Federalism Committee of the party, the spokesman explained that the NEC agreed that a technical committee between the National Assembly, the executive, and the party be set up to look at the proposals point by point as quickly as possible, to enable the president to transmit to the National Assembly for action.

On constitution amendments, he noted that observations that were made would be incorporated into the draft constitution, adding that there was no motion taken to adopt the amended constitution.

“We believe that those amendments and proposals should first of all be updated in the amended constitution before a motion is taken for its adoption,” Abdullahi stated.

Source :

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/independent.ng/why-buhari-dumped-oyegun-rejected-nwc-tenure-extension/amp/

Tales by moonlight

both bubu ,apc and jagaban have nothing to offer Nigerians buhari is doing all this stuff for selfish interest

Scatter by fire

Annie939:
both bubu ,apc and jagaban have nothing to offer Nigerians buhari is doing all this stuff for selfish interest

Can't you read the article and assimilate? Bubu said after conferring with the ministry of justice, he was informed that tenure extension of party officers tenure was illegal, and it could result in the nullification of all primaries conducted under the illegal party officers (including his own). You should blame the governors who wants to keep Oyegun and the state party officials in place by force or fire until after the primaries.

wirinet:


Can't you read the article and assimilate? Bubu said after conferring with the ministry of justice, he was informed that tenure extension of party officers tenure was illegal, and it could result in the nullification of all primaries conducted under the illegal party officers (including his own). You should blame the governors who wants to keep Oyegun and the state party officials in place by force or fire until after the primaries.

Some people don't read to understand. They just want to say what's on their mind whether or not it's relevant to the post.

Oyegun's tenure elongation seems like a dangerous land mine on the path of PMB's reelection.

That is this their poo e nor concine. My own na quality leadership if they can offer it at all before their eventual kick out in 2019. useless rogues

This government is the most confusing I have witnessed sees my birthday.

Buhari will say I don't know when he was asked to stay for one more year.

I don't know why the police did not go to benue
I don't know why oyegun was given an extension
I don't know anything about the fuel subsidy payment
I don't know anything happening in the country
I don't know if am the president.

But I know am surely going back to daura in 2019
Back2daura

Tenure elongation is the best option here cause convention of any sort would pull down APC like a pack of cards and make them embittered and vulnerable going into the next election.

Ggg

Jagaban's masterstroke........

I stop reading it when I saw " although I was part of the meeting that approved the extension of the stakeholders but to prevent us loosing 2019 elections, we must follow the constitution "


in other words, he wouldn't ve rejected the tenure extension if not for 2019 election and u expect me to reelect this man? a man that can't hold non controversial meeting in his party is the man Nigerians are hoping to change the face of Nigeria?



I don't know what's giving this APC boldness that they would present buhari and win in 2019 election


I wonder how democracy we work if all these old generals are still alive. you want democracy in a govt that dominated the former generals ? not until the likes of buhari, obj, ibb even the ty danjuma, Gowon leave this earth before we can resit for new constitution of democracy. there is nothing like Democratic constitution in Nigeria presently

After reading this meaningless epistles and then what

Whatever are his(Buhari) reasons are for the rejections ain't my business

wirinet:


Can't you read the article and assimilate? Bubu said after conferring with the ministry of justice, he was informed that tenure extension of party officers tenure was illegal, and it could result in the nullification of all primaries conducted under the illegal party officers (including his own). You should blame the governors who wants to keep Oyegun and the state party officials in place by force or fire until after the primaries.

Where was he(Buhari) when Oyegun was given another one year

[b] At this stage that the 2019 elections has drawn near, I do not expect President Buhari not to dance to the tune/the dictates of Tinubu or do things that contradict his wishes. He (Buhari) needed him (Tinubu) to win the 2015 elections; he would need him again to win his re-election.

But, my bewilderment is how an illiterate northerner is manipulating a so-called educated, Lagos-Ibadan 'greatest' politician to his advantage.

Buhari and the cabals in the presidency/APC have sidelined Tinubu for the major part of the first tenure of this administration. Their popularity has dwindled among the masses, and their re-election is strongly shaky.
Now they have realised that the only thing that can guarantee a victory for them in 2019 is to re-establish a cordial relationship with Jagaban; and when victory is achieved, it will be business as usual.
But Jagaban is too dumb to discern this! Someone who sidelined you in his first tenure, what's the guarantee he will carry you along in his second tenure when he won't be needing your support anymore?
Jagaban think! [/b]

Party built on lies and propagandas

A son argued with his father insisting that 1+1 is equal to 11.
D father looked at him and said "Go and buy 2 boiled eggs", the son went and returned with the 2 eggs.
The father said, give one to me and another one to your brother. And the son asks: what about me? The father responds: Eat the remaining nine eggs that are left.....nonsense

Annie939:
both bubu ,apc and jagaban have nothing to offer Nigerians buhari is doing all this stuff for selfish interest

...u must be Olodo to think the VP a law Prof has no hand in all this...

Fighting Corruption of opposition: Proactive
Fighting Corruption of Party members: Not Active
Fighting Corruption of Northern Elites: Not Active
Fighting Corruption of Southern Elites: Proactive
Fulani Heardsmen Killings: Not Active
Ipob Protest: ProActive
Fuel Scarcity: Not Active
Religious Appointment: Proactive
Tribal Appointment: Proactive
Bill Beneficial to his region: Proactive
Bill Beneficial to others: Not Active
Foreign Health facility: Proactive
Local Health facility: Not Active
Party issues that are Beneficial: Proactive
Party issues that are not: Not Active
Policy to suffer masses : proactive

You can name them

wirinet:


Can't you read the article and assimilate? Bubu said after conferring with the ministry of justice, he was informed that tenure extension of party officers tenure was illegal, and it could result in the nullification of all primaries conducted under the illegal party officers (including his own). You should blame the governors who wants to keep Oyegun and the state party officials in place by force or fire until after the primaries.

It seems like you don't have any idea the large number of senseless and brainless fools we have on this nairaland?

I will advise you not to waste your time on such dolts in the future.

ZarahBuhari:

Where was he(Buhari) when Oyegun was given another one year

Igbo boy your brain is DEAD.

Some will be disappointed with this news....

Piltics all the way

The extension was given in an error in the first place.

[s]

Shawnnn01:



Igbo boy your brain is DEAD.

[/s]

"He said after seeking legal advice from the Ministry of Justice, he came to the conclusion that their action of February 27, 2018, contravened the constitutions of the party and Nigeria"
Can you imagine how our leaders take decisions?
They talk and take decisions before thinking and consulting.
presidential media chat was canceled because of this same attitude of nonchalance to the expectations of nigerians