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Tag: Oyegun

  • Buhari winning war on terror – Oyegun

    Buhari winning war on terror – Oyegun

    The National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Odigie Oyegun, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is winning the war against Boko Haram.

    Chief Oyegun said before the administration of Buhari, the sect had created territories in some northern states in the country.

    According to him, Boko Haram which has been denied its territories by the government’s efforts has resorted to bombing.

    Oyegun, who spoke on The Osasu Show aired on Independent Television (ITV), said government is working intensively to match the change of tactics by the sect.

    The APC chairman said: “He is defeating the insurgency. Maybe I need to put what I said a little more clearly. Before Buhari, the insurgents were controlling, governing, and ruling Nigerian territory that was larger than most European countries.

    “They did not bother about the bombing aspect because they had territories, they were ruling Nigerians. That is the extremist point. They have been deprived of that. So what I said, it’s very unfortunate, very tragic, and that we must stop in short order.

    “It is the most difficult thing to contain in the immediate term, but the government is working very intensively to match these changes of tactics by Boko Haram. Don’t forget they started by bombings, then when they saw that they could hold territory they shifted to wanting to create their own country within a county.

    “I don’t know what they do to this young people to make them want to kill themselves and kill others. The reality is that if someone makes up his mind to die, then we do have a problem on our hands. But that problem too is one that is being confronted by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. It requires totally new tactics.”

    Oyegun explained that the decision by the President to move the entire command to the battle front created the inspirational platform because the troops need to believe they had a Commander-in-Chief that cared.

     

     

  • I’ve no role in National Assembly crisis, says Oyegun

    I’ve no role in National Assembly crisis, says Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday exonerated himself from the National Assembly crisis.

    He noted that the crisis hasd assumed an unbecoming dimension with people accusing him of accepting gratification from senators.

    The chairman spoke while playing host to the Southeast/Southsouth Professionals in his office in Abuja.

    Oyegun described those peddling the rumour as devoid of conscience, noting that God would eventually vindicate him and make his opponents regret their actions.

    His words: “So, if they are saying you have taken money from a Senator, I am not a Senator. I cannot do it. I cannot at this age be a Senate President, Senate Leader.

    “So what is he giving me money for? And in politics when you throw this into public domain, how many people know me personally? So, it is annoying, it is dirty. It is crude, it is unbecoming.

    “It shows the people are so devoid of conscience. It doesn’t make me lose sleep because I have God that is so preventive of me because the people who are doing this will eventually eat their own words. I have no doubt at all in my mind.”

    “One of the reports said that we cannot leave the present executive leading us to election 2019. You haven’t even finished with 2015, you are already talking of 2019. They are saying that it is a conspiracy for the north. How does it even fit in? Am I from the North? Am I the one organising them?”

    Oyegun, who thanked the group for paying him a solidarity visit while he is “under severe attack,” said the crisis had become a threat to the upright character he laboured to build for the last 75 years.

    His words: “It is an attempt to rubbish 75 solid years of character that I have put together.  They said taking gratification. Gratification from what? They don’t even know my background and history.”

    He urged his accusers to cross-check his record whether there was any evidence of corrupt practice while he was the chairman of the Federal House Authority (FHA) board and other offices.

    According to him, he neither allocated any plot to himself nor a member of his family.

    Oyegun said: “I was chairman of the FHA, let them go and check records. I did not award a single plot to myself, not to any member of my family. Not a single piece of land. I was in the board of NPA, I was physically inspecting houses for building low cost houses at the Badagry Road. I don’t have a piece of land. I would have acquired acres in the process for myself.”

    The chairman said for his love for Nigeria and democracy, he was in exile for four years.

    He added that for the eight years former President Olusegun Obasanjo ruled, he did not visit the State House, Aso Rock of Abuja for any reason.

    “That is the kind of person I am,” he said.

    The president of the group who led the delegation, Emeka Uwgu-Oju, congratulated him for leading APC to win national elections barely a year old in office.

  • Saraki, Dogara urged to cooperate with APC leadership

    Saraki, Dogara urged to cooperate with APC leadership

    The Network of Civil Society Organizations have called on the leadership of the National Assembly under Senator Bukola Saraki, the Senate President and Honourable Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representatives to cooperate with the leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and respect the supremacy of the party.

    In a statement issued in Abuja by Mr. Lawal Bamidele, the National Publicity Secretary of the CSO, the group passed a vote of confidence on Chief. John Oyegun, Chairman of the APC amidst calls for his resignation as the party National Chairman.

    “We call on the entire party leadership to give the National Working Committee (NWC) members of the party the needed support and synergy which they so much needed for greater performance in formulating better administrative initiatives.

    “We adjure the National Assembly under the leadership of His Excellency Sen. Bukola Saraki for the Senate and Hon. Yakubu Dogara for the House of Representatives to corporate with the Party leadership and respect the supremacy of the party above personal interest.

    “It is rather unfortunate and distractive that certain individuals are calling for the resignation of the National Chairman at this time when he has barely led the party to accomplish unprecedented fit of defeating a seating President – a fit which rather demands commendation as against condemnation.

    “APC as a party that preaches change, should not be seen to be re-enacting the usual People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s syndrome of use and dump,” he said.

  • NASS crisis: My hands are clean – Oyegun

    NASS crisis: My hands are clean – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Thursday exonerated himself from the National Assembly crisis.

    He noted that the crisis has assumed an unbecoming dimension with people accusing him of accepting gratification from senators.

    The APC chairman hosted South East/South South Professionals who visited him in his office in Abuja.

    Oyegun said the accusations are strange to him because he has no reason to collect money from Senators since he is not in a position to vote for them in the National Assembly.

    He described those peddling the rumour as devoid of conscience, noting that God will eventually vindicate him and make his opponents regret their actions.

    He said: “So if they are saying you have taken money from a Senator, I am not a Senator. I cannot do it. I cannot at this age be a Senate President or Senate Leader.

    “So what is he giving me money for? And in politics when you throw this into public domain, how many people know me personally? So it is annoying, it is dirty. It is crude, it is unbecoming.

    “It shows the people are so devoid of conscience. It doesn’t make me lose sleep because I have God that is so preventive of me because the people who are doing this will eventually eat their own words. I have no doubt at all in my mind.”

    He expressed surprise that the party is not completely done with the 2015, members are already accusing him of conspiring to favour the north in the 2019 elections.

    Oyegun noted that since he is not from the north and does not organize them for elections, the accusation is meaningless.

  • NASS crisis: My hands are clean – Oyegun

    NASS crisis: My hands are clean – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Thursday exonerated himself from the National Assembly crisis.

    He noted that the crisis has assumed an unbecoming dimension with people accusing him of accepting gratification from senators.

    The APC chairman hosted South East/South South Professionals who visited him in his office in Abuja.

    Oyegun said the accusations are strange to him because he has no reason to collect money from Senators since he is not in a position to vote for them in the National Assembly.

    He described those peddling the rumour as devoid of conscience, noting that God will eventually vindicate him and make his opponents regret their actions.

    He said: “So if they are saying you have taken money from a Senator, I am not a Senator. I cannot do it. I cannot at this age be a Senate President or Senate Leader.

    “So what is he giving me money for? And in politics when you throw this into public domain, how many people know me personally? So it is annoying, it is dirty. It is crude, it is unbecoming.

    “It shows the people are so devoid of conscience. It doesn’t make me lose sleep because I have God that is so preventive of me because the people who are doing this will eventually eat their own words. I have no doubt at all in my mind.”

    He expressed surprise that the party is not completely done with the 2015, members are already accusing him of conspiring to favour the north in the 2019 elections.

    Oyegun noted that since he is not from the north and does not organize them for elections, the accusation is meaningless.

  • Senate crisis: Oyegun’s fate shaky as APC caucus meets

    Senate crisis: Oyegun’s fate shaky as APC caucus meets

    Akande laments effect of disagreement on party’s unity

    Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging in the balance.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman should step down, some forces within the party are pushing, ahead of tomorrow’s  meeting of the National Caucus Committee.

    Odigie-Oyegun’s offence, sources said at the weekend, is his perceived failure to nip in the bud the National Assembly crisis that has shaken the party so much.

    Most of the APC governors, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and party elders are unhappy that Odigie-Oyegun allowed the “crisis to fester”.

    They alleged that his “slow pace” attitude emboldened Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara to “negotiate” with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

    The delay in sending the list of APC nominees for principal offices in the Senate and the House of Representatives has fuelled the anger against Odigie-Oyegun.

    Party leaders are divided on whether to retain Odigie-Oyegun or dump him.

    A source, who briefed some reporters in Abuja on the situation in the party and the backlash of the crisis in the National Assembly, said there was apprehension in APC that if the chairman remained in office, it might collapse.

    The source cited two instances where Odigie-Oyegun failed to be “decisive” on the choice of principal officers in the National Assembly.

    The source alleged that the chairman was virtually forced to hold the mock elections that elected Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the party’s choices for Senate President and House Speaker.

    It also took the intervention of the APC governors before he could send the list of party nominees for some principal posts to Saraki and Dogara.

    The source added: “There is much anger in the party against Oyegun. Many leaders have accused him of being indecisive or afraid to take the right decision.

    “It is as if the man has no backbone or self-respect. When he should move, he sits down. When he should talk, he is mute. When he should make a decision, he sleeps and after finally making a decision, he takes days to implement something that could be done in minutes.

    “After Saraki and Dogara rebelled by aligning with PDP National Assembly members, Oyegun remained strangely mum and unmoved to the harm being done to his and the party’s  authority. ‘He took the rebuff too lightly and quickly as if he almost welcomed it.’

    “It was only after APC governors intervened and applied heavy pressure that he wrote a letter to the Senate President and House Speaker naming the party’s choices for majority leader and the other posts.

    “Even then, the letter was half-hearted, oddly brief and strangely passive in tone. It was as if he wrote it under compulsion because he had been boxed into a corner by the governors and not by conviction.  Once again, Saraki and Dogara rebuffed him and once again Oyegun took the insult as if he asked for it.”

    Also, a member of NEC said: “What happened in the National Assembly was a pure case of failure of leadership by the National Chairman.

    “Certainly, his lapse is one of the major issues we will discuss at the National Caucus meeting in Abuja and later at our NEC session.

    “We are all disappointed and feel betrayed by Oyegun because he refused to take action at the right time even when President Muhammadu Buhari said he would leave the party to resolve the logjam in the National Assembly.”

    Analysing the APC and the National Assembly crisis in an article published on page 3 of this newspaper, former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, warned of the danger ahead for the party if nothing urgent is done to remedy the crisis arising from the election of Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    He said: “Now that the whole conspiracy has blown open, it is doubtful if the present institutions of party leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest the drift.

    “It is my opinion that President Buhari, and the APC governors should now see APC as a recking platform that may not be strong enough again to carry them to political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in its claim to bring about the promised change before the party’s shortcomings begin to aggravate the challenges of governance in their hands.”

    The former Osun State Governor added: “Before the party knew it, the process had been hijacked by polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a loop-hole for stifling APC governments’ efforts in its desire to fight corruption.

    “Most Northern elites, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels who never liked Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance are quickly backing-up the rebellion against APC with strong support.

    “While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the South-West see the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

    Odigie-Oyegun himself has said that he cannot be stampeded out of office, saying efforts will be made to resolve all issues.

    The party’s state chairmen also last week after a meeting in Abuja, expressed support for the party chairman.

    In a communique signed by Chairman of the Kano chapter Alhaji Umar Haruna Mohammed, the party chiefs expressed concern over the crises rocking the party over the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.

    “As state party chairmen and direct grassroots leaders, we are all concerned about the development and therefore re-affirm our belief and loyalty to our party, the APC, its supremacy as contained in the party’s constitution and the decision of its leadership.

    “We are also not happy with recent development in the National Assembly, especially the lower chamber, and call on the party leadership to put in place proper machineries to checkmate further occurrences.

    “We also call on the party leaders to use the long break with the view of resolving the matter so that the much needed change will be seen and enjoyed by everybody.”

  • Call for Oyegun’s resignation is mischievous – Ex-lawmaker

    Call for Oyegun’s resignation is mischievous – Ex-lawmaker

    Former Minority whip of the 7th House of Representatives Hon. Samson Osagie has described as mischievous the purported call by some elements for the resignation of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Chief Odigie Oyegun.

    He said Chief Oyegun has done nothing to warrant his resignation.

    He said those promoting the idea albeit clandestinely are out to destroy the party and set it on the party of ignominy which the PDP has threaded over the years.

    “It’s significant to know that the APC cannot afford to be tampering with its leadership like the PDP as this will not make for stability.”

    He called on all those nursing the idea to embrace the conflict resolution mechanism of the party to resolve all issues so that the party can support the new government it has formed to deliver on its mandated to Nigerian people .

    “Chief Oyegun is a humble gentle man committed to the ideals of the change mantra of the APC who must not be rubbished by elements with vaunting ambition.

    “As Nigerians we need an enduring democratic culture where all interest will coexist and be subject to national interest.

    “Chief Oyegun has been a consistent progressive politician who will not do anything to dent his image.

    “I urge them to thread with utmost caution so that we can work together to bring about the change Nigerians are expecting from the new government.”

  • National Assembly: Oyegun writes Saraki, Dogara on APC’s position

    National Assembly: Oyegun writes Saraki, Dogara on APC’s position

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie-Oyegun yesterday wrote to Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, stating the party’s position on principal officers for the eighth National Assembly.

    The letter to Saraki, reads: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party, after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Senator Ahmed  Lawan(Majority Leader)–North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye( Chief Whip)–South-West; Sen. George Akume  (Deputy Majority Leader)—North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim(Deputy Chief Whip)—North-West.

    A similar letter to the Speaker says: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party after extensive consultations for the eighth House of Representatives  as follows:   Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (House Leader) South-West; Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa(Deputy House Leader)—North-West; Hon. M. T. Monguno(Chief Whip)—North-East; and Hon. Pally Iriase(Deputy Chief Whip)—South-South. This comes with the assurances of my highest regards.”

    A source said: “The APC leadership is ready to assert the supremacy of the party and enforce party discipline.

    “The only honourable path is for the President of the Senate and the Speaker to respect the party’s wish by accommodating those aggrieved over their election. We need to heal wounds and ensure a sustainable reconciliation.

    “If we do not reconcile, the Eighth National Assembly will not be able to stabilise. We cannot afford to derail this new administration.

    “Unless there is another agenda at play, the new National Assembly leaders should make peace with their colleagues by adopting the party’s lists.

    “The party has a say in the choice of principal officers. This was the case in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics.”

  • APC working to resolve crisis – Oyegun

    APC working to resolve crisis – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, has said that the party is working round the clock to resolve the crisis that has rocked it in recent times.

    He said the APC is determined to resolve the crisis and pave the way for the party to fulfill its campaign promises to Nigerians.

    In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Oyegun said “the party has reached out to all interested parties, and when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians will see one harmonious and happy APC family.”

    “We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind us and forge ahead.”

    The APC chairman also rose in defense of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is being vilified in Kwara for signing the statement conveying the party’s position on the June 9 National Assembly leadership poll.

    He said Mohammed’s statement was issued with the knowledge and consent of the party, hence it would be wrong for anyone to make him a sacrificial lamb for carrying out his responsibilities.

    He added that the party is aware that its National Publicity Secretary has been grossly misunderstood by virtually everyone, especially in his state, just because he carried out his duty of signing the said statement by the party.

  • We’ll bring our lawmaker back together, says Oyegun

    We’ll bring our lawmaker back together, says Oyegun

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said yesterday that the governing party will bring its federal lawmakers together.

    The lawmakers are feuding following the election of the principal officers.

    The members defied the party to pick the Senate President and House of Representatives speaker.

    “Let me assure the public that peace is on the way. We had a problem in the family, no doubt about that, but we are moving quickly to resolve it. As you can see, we are working hard to see that the leaders and rank and file don’t start throwing punches”.

    The APC National Chairman said the immediate concern of the party was how to quickly unify its members in both chambers if the National Assembly, saying “All the party has decided to do is to re-unify as quickly as possible our members in both chambers of the National Assembly under the existing realities. That is the first priority. Every other thing will follow. All other thing will have to wait.

    “For instance, if the president says he wants to present his list of ministerial nominees to the Senate, we don’t want a situation whereby the senate will be divided. So, we are trying to sort that out; it is our number one priority. We are happy that we are arriving at an amicable settlement of the situation; this one cannot wait for long. It has to be immediately.

    “There was no doubt that when you have problems, your opponent will seize the opportunity to rise up. What is important is how quickly we put our acts together and get all these behind us and move forward strongly. Some of these setbacks, no doubt, will give the other side the opportunity to laugh, but it is temporal and usual wherever you have human beings”