The search for an enduring solution to the crisis among members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly gathered steam last night with the governors of the party raising two committees to “liaise with the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and members of the Unity Forum and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.”
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and the immediate House of Reps Speaker heads a three-man committee to fashion out amicable resolution of the House crisis while Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, a former Senator, is Chairman of another three-man panel on the way forward for the Senate.
The six governors in the two panels, according to a highly placed source, “will meet with all the warring groups and agree on a win-win formula to put the crisis behind the party.”
The two committees are expected to report to the APC Governors Forum later this week after which an enlarged session of reconciliation will seal the deal.
“The choice of Tambuwal and Bagudu was informed by the fact that they are conversant with the politics of both chambers and they command tremendous respect from the APC members in the National Assembly,” the source said last night,” the source said.
“By the time they submit their report next week, we would have put the crisis behind us. We are not expecting any deadlock at all going by the responses of the key actors to this peace initiative.”
The APC Governors Forum was meeting with all state chairmen of APC in the 36 states and the FCT at press time.
It was gathered that the meeting was part of the “broad consultations initiated by the APC governors.”
Another source said: “The governors have also decided to involve state chairmen in finding a solution to the logjam at hand.
“The crisis runs through all the organs and strata of our party. This is why it was imperative to meet with the state chairmen of APC nationwide.”
It was also gathered that heavyweights of the APC have been included in the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party.
The board is expected to provide guidance for the party to stem the type of ongoing crisis among party members in the National Assembly.
The membership of the BOT was ratified on Friday by the National Executive Committee of the party.
Those on the list obtained by our correspondent last night include President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo , a National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, all APC governors, all past governors (whether civilian or military), two Senators representing each of the six geopolitical zones and a member representing each state and the FCT.
Also on the list are the pioneer Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, a former National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh, another former National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, ex-National Chairman of ANPP, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, Prince Tony Momoh, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Alh. Yusuf Garba Ali, Mustapha Aliyu, the National Secretary of APC, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, and Gen. Ahmed Aboki
Others are ex-Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives including Ghali Na’aba, Patricia Etteh, Agunwa Anaekwe, Bayero Nafada, and Chibudom Nwuche.
The list also includes Sam Ewang, Ex-Minister John Akpanudohedohe, ex-Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Abubakar Audu, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Kayode Fayemi, Murtala Nyako, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Isiaka Adeleke, Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni, Prof. Osunbor, Dr. Chris Ngige, Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi and Timipreye Sylva among others. The Nation
