President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the reversal of tenure elongation of Chief John Odigie Oyegun and other National and State Executive Officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described the elongation of their tenure by one year as unconstitutional.
He told the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja on Tuesday that he had reflected on the elongation and also sought advice and had come to the conclusion that it is unconstitutional.
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The APC had in its NEC meeting on February 27 extended the tenure of members of National Working Committee (NWC) led by John Odigie-Oyegun by 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.
“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.
The APC Constitution, in Article 17(1) and 13.2(B), limits the tenure of elected officers to four years, renewable once by another election, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), in section 223, also prescribes periodic elections for party executives at regular intervals, which must not exceed four years.
“Furthermore, Article 31 of our Party Constitution provides that any principal officer wishing to re-contest or contest for another post, must resign from his current post at least one month before the election
Buhari said he was optimistic that the on-going meeting would provide an avenue to resolve the outstanding issues and consolidate plans towards making APC stronger.
Buhari explained, however, that it was expected that a fresh elections be conducted once the tenure of the current executives approaches its end.
“A Caretaker Committee cannot remedy this situation, and cannot validly act in place of elected officers.
“Furthermore, I think if we deviate from the constitutional provisions, we might be endangering the fortunes of our party. If the tenure of our party executives can be legally faulted, then it means that any nominations and primary elections that they may conduct, can also be faulted.
“This is not to talk of divisions that would arise, and is already arising within the party, when some of our members feel that they are being denied the right to aspire to executive positions, or that internal democracy is not at play within the party.
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“I am therefore of the firm view that it is better to follow strictly the dictates of our party and national constitutions, rather than put APC and its activities at grave risk.’’
He said that a timetable had already been approved for the holding of congresses and elections.
“I think these should be allowed to go forward and all efforts should now be geared towards making them a great success.’’
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for steering the party back to the correct path, after the president in a surprising announcement ruled against elongation of the tenure of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), .
NAN reported that Tinubu heaped praises on the president in a statement released by Tinubu’s Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman, in Lagos.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on Tuesday advised the party to dump the elongation of the tenure of National and State Executive Officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He told the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja on Tuesday that he had sought advice on the elongation, and had come to the conclusion that it was unconstitutional.
The APC, at its NEC meeting on Feb. 27, decided to extend the tenure of members of National Working Committee (NWC) led by Oyegun by one year.
In his reaction, Tinubu said: “President Buhari’s action saves the party from serious legal turmoil.
”If the elongations were deemed illegal, then all subsequent party actions, including the nomination of all of our candidates for elective offices, might also be of questionable legality.
”Such a predicament would constitute an unnecessary and mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance to Nigeria.
”Moreover, President Buhari has affirmed for all to see that our party is one based on the rule of law coupled with a firm adherence to internal democracy.
”While it would have been easy to allow the ill-conceived motion of 27 February to stand, President Buhari showed principle and courage by steering the party back to its original and correct path.”
According to him, the President has spoken.
”Today is a good day for those who cherish democracy and legality.
“His action will also serve to strengthen the party by allowing party members, including present incumbents, to seek to contribute to the party by vying for executive offices as they see fit.
”His action will go far in advancing the process of internal reconciliation that is now underway, ” he said.
Tinubu said it was time for the party to move forward and begin to plan and organise the needed congresses according to the existing timetables.
”After all, a party bearing the name All Progressives Congress should be the last party to resist holding congresses in which all its people have a fair say and fair chance to aspire to any position in the party for which they are qualified to hold.
”Again, this is a good day for the APC and democratic practice in Nigeria.
“We shun the politics of old to move toward a new and better way of governing ourselves and this nation,” he said.
