The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, on Friday, said the National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) did no wrong by dissolving the party’s National Working Committee and putting in place a caretaker committee.
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party, would never do anything contrary to the provisions of the party’s constitution.
The party’s NEC had at a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday dissolved the NWC and set up a caretaker committee led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Bunu.
But 18 members of the dissolved NWC loyal to the party’s sacked national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, insisted that the NEC meeting where the decision was taken was illegal.
They said they were consulting their lawyers and other stakeholders on the dissolution and other decisions taken at the meeting.
After leading APC governors on a “thank you” visit to Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday, Bagudu insisted that the President received due legal advice before he took a position on the crisis that rocked the party.
When asked for his view on those who were reported to be considering legal action on the matter, the governor of Kebbi State said, “The media says a lot of things, but Mr President is very clear that he received due legal advice.
“Remember that before the 2019 primaries, Mr President demonstrated to everyone in this country that he will never sacrifice due process for expediency.
“Even when it was convenient to extend the tenure of the then executive so that we don’t have a convention and primary at the same time, Mr President said ‘no, no matter how tough it is, we are going to do the correct legal thing.’
“So, Mr President will never do anything which the constitutional provisions of the party, talk less of the country, do not allow him to do.”
Bagudu said he was at the Presidential Villa with Buni; the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; a member of the Caretaker and Extraordinary National Convention Committee representing the North-Central and Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello; and the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to thank Buhari for all he has been doing for the party and the country.
The governor claimed that media reports on the decisions reached at the NEC meeting indicated that many people were pleased.
He lauded the present regime’s achievements in the areas of economy, food security, and accountability.
Despite the concerns being raised by groups and individuals on security challenges being experienced across the country, Bagudu said he was hearing of “security gains” daily across the country.
He said the President was happy that the leadership crisis in the party had been resolved. – Punch.
