Reconciliation: Tinubu writes Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, says Odigie-Oyegun thwarting unity efforts
The National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has reportedly accused the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, of sabotaging his efforts to unite aggrieved members of the ruling party.
Tinubu made the accusation in a letter to the national chairman of the party.
In the letter, Tinubu was said to have accused Odigie-Oyegun of making “improper unilateral decisions” and “engaging in dilatory tactics”.
It was gathered that Tinubu copied President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice-President Yemi OSinbajo, senate president Bukola Saraki and speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara.
Tinubu alleged that Odigie-Oyegun was going against his promises to ensure the unity of aggrieved members of the APC, TheCable reports, quoting part of the letter.
It will be recalled that upon accepting the assignment to reconcile aggrieved members of the APC, Tinubu paid a special visit to Odigie-Oyegun to get his support.
During the visit, the APC national chairman assured Tinubu of his support and also gave him hints on areas he should focus on.
Oyegun specifically said: “We will make your assignment the most successful one; you are welcome. I know you are here to brief us and tell us how you want to proceed and how we can fit into the picture and the way we will take it up.”
In giving Tinubu the assignment, Buhari had explained that it was to improve cohesion within its chapters in the state ahead of 2019 general elections.
The assignment involved reconciling political office holders at the national and state levels and addressing the crisis in Kano, Kogi and Bauchi chapters especially.
The letter written by the former Lagos Governor and dated February 21, 2018, read in part: “Disappointment greeted me when I discovered that you had swiftly acted in contravention of the spirit of our discussions. Instead of being a bulwark of support as promised, you positioned yourself in active opposition to the goal of resuscitating the progressive and democratic nature of APC.”
Though during Tinubu’s visit to Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s national chairman listed Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and Adamawa as places affected by serious party issues, the letter revealed that Oyegun allegedly made a contrary move to worsen the crisis in the party.
“You have taken it as your own personal ambition to thwart my presidential assignment in these key states. While this may place you in significant affinity with those parallel officials you handpicked, this machination suggests no improvement in the welfare of the party in Kogi or at the national level,” Tinubu wrote.
Efforts to reach the APC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, proved abortive, but an aide to Senator Saraki said: “It is not abnormal for Tinubu to write a letter to the senate president. They are in the same party.” (Independent)
