Oyegun: A ghost has been hovering over the leadership of APC

John Oyegun, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the recommendations of the panel set up to examine the tenure elongation of the national working committee (NWC) will “lay to rest the ghost that has been hovering over the leadership of APC”.

He said this while receiving the report of the committee from Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau state, in Abuja on Friday.

The committee was saddled with the responsibility of examining the demands of President Muhammadu Buhari that the tenure extension of the party executives at states and federal levels be cancelled.

The president had explained that the extension was causing acrimony within the party, with some members not comfortable with the matter, dragging the party to court.

Earlier, Lalong urged the party leadership to painstakingly study the recommendations of the panel.

He said if the recommendations were accepted and implemented, the leadership logjam in the party would “become a thing of the past’’.

“The task appeared not easy when it was given to us, but with God on our side and the very wide consultations we made, we accomplished it,” he said.

“This report has solved most of the problems that we were thinking was within the APC, that is to tell you that there is democracy in the party.”

He said in carrying out the assignment, the committee was guided by the party´s constitution and the 1999 constitution of the country.

“The committee also looked at the minutes of the party´s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of February 27 where the decision to extend the Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC and other party executives by one year starting from June was taken,” he said.

“We also looked at the passion and the commitment of the President towards keeping the party as one and at the end of the day, we made far-reaching recommendations.

“We noticed that there were different interests, which is quite usual when you have a party like this, that is progressive.”

He added that the interests identified were genuine and that the committee was able “to marry” all interests for the party to move forward.