Fresh Crisis Rocks APC As 17 Governors Plot To Remove Oyegun As Party Chairman

Chief John Oyegun.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing a crisis, with 17 Governors plotting to remove John Odigie-Oyegun as the National Chairman.

The Governors are reportedly angry, that Oyegun has been running the party with only seven of their colleagues.

They are expected to table their grievances at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 31 and pass a vote of no confidence in Oyegun.

The Governors are believed to have spoken to President Muhammadu Buhari on their decision to reject Oyegun’s leadership, while Oyegun’s supporters have fingered former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s backers as part of the plot.

“Ahead of the NEC meeting of APC next week, there is tension in the party. About 17 of the 24 governors are unhappy with the national chairman. They are plotting to withdraw their support for him, unless he carries all of them along,” a source told The Nation.

In Oyegun’s corner are Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Solomon Lalong (Plateau); Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

“The 17 governors believe that Oyegun is romancing their seven colleagues because the APC National Chairman believes they are close to the President.

“They expressed fears that the party might split the way the National Chairman was leaving decisions on issues to the ‘anointed’ governors,” the source added.

But a member of NEC said: “What you are hearing is a game plan to pass a vote of no confidence on Oyegun at the NEC meeting.

“The issues the 17 governors are raising are part of the conspiracy against the National Chairman. And what you are likely to see is the direction where things will go at the NEC session.

“As regards Oyegun’s preference for some governors, I do not think it is true. If the chairman has personal relationship with some governors, I think it is by virtue of their position or performance.

“For instance, the National Chairman does not hide his likeness for El-Rufai who he describes openly as ‘very energetic and full of ideas’.

He is always proud of the governor of Kebbi and he relates well with Okorocha as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

He is also used to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdul-Aziz Yari, to get update on issues of governance.”