How Buhari saved Oshiomhole

SUNDAY ODE, Abuja   

Facts have emerged on how the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari in the lingering leadership crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) forced the  warring parties  to sheathe their swords by agreeing to the postponement of the scheduled National Executive Council (NEC) of the party scheduled for Tuesday.

Buhari’s intervention in the festering crisis that has threatened the foundation of the party, came after his protracted silence that had kept tongues wagging. He called the governors to a meeting where they were said to have agreed to a truce

The postponement was announced Monday by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Abubakar Bagudu, after leading the other governors elected on the platform of the APC to a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the NEC meeting would remain suspended until such a time that the governors are able to report back to the President the outcome of their peace moves.

The meeting which lasted for barely 20 minutes had all the APC governors in attendance except Nasir el Rufai of Kaduna State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State,  Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Mai Bala Buni of Yobe State.

It had been widely speculated that the postponed NEC meeting was called by the anti Oshiomhole elements in the ruling party to facilitate the formal removal of the embattled chairman from office.

According to Bagudu who is also the Governor of Kebbi State, the governors had agreed to work together in order to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the party.

He said: “We met with Mr. President, amongst other issues we discussed about the party in appreciation to Mr. President how he has given access to each of us individually and collectively.

“And amongst the issues we discussed was the need for the resolution that the governors have taken to work together to resolve all the issues in the party.

“And also we seek Mr. President support to postpone the National Executive Council NEC meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow until such a time that  the governor’s are ready to report back.”

The Kebbi governor said President Buhari was excited with their resolution.

“Yes he’s so happy that we all agreed to that,” was his answer to the question on whether the President agreed with their suggestions.

The APC leadership dispute heightened recently when an Abuja High Court upheld the suspension of the embattled Oshiomole by his ward and ordered him to stop parading himself as the APC National Chairman.

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