Apc Chairman Takes 10-day Break, Dispels Report Of Leadership Crisis
BEVERLY HILLS, February 26, (THEWILL) – The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Friday disclosed that he will take a 10-day break starting from Monday 29th February, 2016 to enable him rest.
In a chat with news correspondents, he dispelled a media report (not THEWILL) suggesting an 'internal strife' in the party and a move to 'ease' him out of office adding that the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr. Segun Oni will cover his beat in his absence.
“I have been APC National Chairman for how long now? Going to two years, and it has been a very intense period building the party and a very intense period putting government together up to this point. All that has happened is that I think I deserve a bit of a break and that will start effective Monday,” he said.
“On Tuesday I was down with malaria, I managed on Wednesday to attend that crucial meeting at the presidency, yesterday (Thursday) I had to go to the hospital just to be sure and today I am at work, full stop.
“In my absence, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr. Segun Oni will cover my beat. It is that simple, it is that straightforward. Any speculation about not being in the office is of no consequence.
He also denied media reports of a purported apology by a party leader at Wednesday’s meeting at the presidency adding that the Board of Trustees of the party will be meeting on the 22nd of March, the day before the National Caucus will be meeting, while the NEC of the party will be meeting on the 24th.
On replacement of officers at NEC, he declared that the issue was raised about filling the vacancy left by the exit of Lai Mohammed. “You can understand the problem of replacing a man of the performance level of Lai Mohammed so we are still looking.”
On the president’s trips abroad, Odigie-Oyegun said: “we need a lot of investment, we need a lot of infrastructural upgrading and you would be surprised that very soon, particularly in the field of infrastructure some of what Mr. President has been travelling about putting together, would become manifest, because these projects would start the process of implementation and they would bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians.
”Mr. President is doing a fantastic job. It is not building an estate or things you can see visually and physically, but it is building and rebuilding the cracked foundation of our nation Nigeria. Please let’s understand that that is what is going on. Let’s understand because he (Buhari) is the best salesman internationally for this nation.
On claims by the PDP of a plot to gag the opposition, he declared: “From whom did the PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus collect the gift? Was it from a corporate entity or from an individual? If it’s from the government coffers, if its, its public funds.
“If a corporate entity decided to support a party or an individual that is corporate, that is private that is totally the individual’s decisions subject of course to the limit in the constitution and what the electoral Act provide.
“I think is that straight-forward. Look, I don’t know how often we will repeat this, we have a major problem with corruption, it is what has crippled this nation and if you are cutting down a tree wherever its falls so be it.
“If he happens to be a participant so be it, the colour, the party, ethnic group or whatever as you can see just does not matter anymore. In sixteen years, this is the first progressive, actively anti-corruption government that this nation has had.”
Story by David Oputah