Governors Keep Mum After Meeting With Buhari

The governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have met with President Muhammadu Buhari after the February meeting they had in Katsina, but refused to disclose their discussion.

The meeting on Tuesday was held at the Council Chambers in Abuja and all the governors refused to unveil the reason for the meeting.

There are speculations that the governors discussed the issue of tenure elongation of party leaders.

At the end of the meeting, the governors left the State House without speaking with journalists on the outcome of the dialogue.

One of the governor was heard saying that they were directed not to speak with journalists over issues discussed at the meeting.

Sources said that the meeting could not reach consensus on some of the issues discussed including the challenges facing the APC national executives over tenure elongation.

The governors, who appeared divided over the issue of tenure elongation for the APC national executives, had met briefly among themselves before the arrival of President Buhari for the meeting.

Buhari had at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on March 27, said the tenure elongation of the party’s executives was illegal and unconstitutional.

The APC National Chairman, Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, had earlier inaugurated a committee to advise the party on the way forward following President Buhari´s recent opposition to the tenure extension.

The NEC had extended by a year, the tenure of Odigie-Oyegun-led executives and others across all levels of the party starting from June.

The president said the decision was unconstitutional and already causing acrimony within the party.

He said: “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 expire 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 Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’

Another meeting between the APC governors and the President would be reconvened next week at the same venue.

Governors at the meeting include Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jubrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Abdufatah Ahmed (Kwara).

Also in attendance are Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Tanko Al- Makura (Nasarawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abubakar Bello (Niger).

The rest include Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe were absent at the meeting while Gov. Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State was represented by his deputy.

The President had earlier in February met with the APC governors when he was in his hometown in Daura in Katsina State.

Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, led the governors on the visit, coming exactly one year to the presidential election.

Okorocha told journalists that the governors were in Daura to commiserate with President Buhari over the loss of two members of his extended family.

(NAN)