Buhari backs Tinubu, says tenure elongation for Oyegun, others illegal (Updated)

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a surprise move on Tuesday backed Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has been in the forefront against tenure elongation for the All Progressive Congress (APC) national chairman, John Odigie Oyegun, and other party executives.

Buhari’s support for Tinubu came at the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which held as a follow-up to an earlier meeting of the body on Feb 28.

The recent decision of the ruling party’s NEC to elongate the tenure of Oyegun, and other party executives at all levels, was described as illegal by President Buhari.

By this position, Buhari seems to have at last yielded to the position of Tinubu, who had insisted on the removal of Oyegun.

Buhari noted that he hoped that the NEC meeting will help the ruling party resolve its outstanding issues and consolidate on its plans towards making the party the strongest defender of the people.

He said, “​In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers. As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for 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.

“On my own part, 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.

“While 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

“​In this circumstance, what is expected of us is to conduct fresh elections, 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.

READ ALSO: Tinubu explains absence at APC caucus meeting

“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. Fortunately, we have already approved a timetable 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.”

Some analysts believe that following the out pouring of criticism against Buhari’s government in recent times, that it will be suicidal for the APC, especially for the president, if he has any intention of seeking re-election, to have Tinubu turn his back on the party over Oyegun’s tenure extension.

There are speculations that after Tinubu failed to show up for the party’s national caucus meeting on Monday, Buhari clearly saw the hand writing on the wall and may have quickly decided to placate him by succumbing to his position on Oyegun’s removal.

The development came as Oyegun had on Monday boasted that the issue of his extension as the party chairman was a rested one.

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