APC RECONCILIATION: STOP UNDERMINING MY ASSIGNMENT, TINUBU WARNS OYEGUN
APC
RECONCILIATION: STOP UNDERMINING MY ASSIGNMENT, TINUBU WARNS OYEGUN
The former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has
accused Chief Oyegun of a sinister motive to frustrate him and in the process
make his mission, unattainable.
Tinubu’s letter was received at the party national secretariat
on Thursday just as officials
of the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
(EFCC) also paid a visit to the party secretariat. A party source
confided in Nigerian Tribune that their mission was not unconnected with
last Friday protest to the anti-graft agency office by a group, demanding for
probe of the accounts of the ruling party national working committee.
The leader of the group, Ishola Adeshina alleged that the former
Edo State governor has been running the accounts of the party without recourse
to majority of national officers of the party.
Tinubu in an 8-page letter dated February 21, 2018 titled,
‘’Actions and Conduct weakening the party from within,’’ detailed the crises
ridden state chapters to include, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and Adamawa
states.
states.
Tinubu in the letter copy of which was made available by a
party source, expressed concern that last weekend commissioning of a
parallel APC secretariat in Lokoja by the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello in
which Chief Oyegun was present was part of the plot to undermine his
assignment.
Tinubu wrote: ‘’In Kogi, you rushed to the state, to unilaterally
inaugurate a new set of state officials, parallel to the officials already
heading the state chapter of the party.
‘’While this may place you in significant affinity with those
parallel officials you had picked, this machinations suggests no
improvement in the welfare of the party in Kogi state or at the national level.
‘’This usurpation of authority exacerbates conflict the confusion.
It doesn’t resolve it. It is my understanding that the dissolution of the duly
constituted state executive and the hurried naming of the above mentioned group
wasn’t approved by the NWC.
‘’This arrogation of power sets you at variance with members of
the NWC as evidenced by the national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji
Abdullahi statement condemning your improper and usual action.
‘’You had let this situation fester for months on end. Only when I
was appointed to help resolve internal disputes and when you realized I might
focus early on Kogi did you stir from your indifference and inaction.
‘’You could have wisely and prudently treated this matter before
hand.
By waiting to the last moment, your unilateral action was
implemented in haste and unbalanced in thought.
‘’By creating a parallel body, you not only acted improperly, you
grew a second problem from the stem where previously there had sprouted but
one.’’
The APC national leader expressed regret that the APC national
chairman was not fulfilling his earlier agreement to cooperate with him an
assurance Tinubu noted he extracted from Oyegun during his last week
meeting with members of the national working committee.
He said: ’’On your part, you promised unalloyed support for my
mission. Consonant with that vow, you said you would provide all information at
your disposal and you vowed to act as a liaison between me and the state
chapters.
‘’At that meeting, I announced I had formally started the
assignment handed me by President Buhari. I offered to keep you abreast of my
work. I said that I wanted the national working committee to be like an
informal advisory board to me in the discharge of this presidential mandate.’’
The former Lagos state governor who accused Chief Oyegun of
deliberately keeping him in the dark on situation reports in troubled state
chapters further ‘’demanded for status reports and all other
pertinent information regarding the state chapters without further delay.
‘’Also to lessen animosity and return the party to the path of
internal democracy and openness, I beg that you refrain from taking any more
improper unilateral decision with regard to the national and state chapters of
the party.
‘’As the chairman of the party, you must work within the confines
of the duties and responsibilities enumerated under the party constitution. You
must not stretch beyond them.’’
Checks revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy,
Professor Yemi Osinbajo were copied. Also copied were SenatePresident, Bukola
Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara.