Youths operating under the aegis of Save APC and Democracy Youth Vanguard on Monday stormed the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, demanding the removal of the party’s chairman, Chief John Oyegun.
The protesting youths numbering about 50 partially blocked the entrance to the APC secretariat chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with clear inscriptions demanding the resignation of Oyegun over alleged incompetence.
Other demands listed on the various placards by the youths included the demand for an audit of APC’s accounts, opposition to a non-elective convention, and the insistence that the party must support the anti-corruption campaign, among others.
The youths were still protesting when Oyegun arrived for work at the premises without uttering a word.
Speaking with newsmen during the protest, the leader of the group who identified himself as Peter Oyewole, said since APC’s victory in the 2015 elections, the party’s finances had not been audited and made public as stipulated by law.
“Since 2015, the budget of APC has not been made public. Since 2015, the ruling party has not held a single meeting. These are enough to remove the national chairman. We demand the removal of Oyegun now.
“We are also saying enough is enough to the imposition of candidates at all levels by the Oyegun-led NWC (National Working Committee), because in any party where there is imposition there cannot be fairness, any party where there is imposition, there can be no equity, the imposition in APC today is just rubbishing the anti-corruption war of President Buhari.
“The current national chairman we have in APC cannot work in support of the APC agenda and President Buhari. If Oyegun is not removed, he will continue to rubbish the efforts of the president, especially in fighting corruption because you cannot give what you don’t have. The high level of corruption and imposition going on under Oyegun is alarming.
“If Odigie-Oyegun is not removed within the next one month, APC youths will picket this national secretariat and make it a no-go area to everybody – the staff, officials and even the security personnel will be chased out of the secretariat and none of them will be allowed to come in here,” he said.
When asked to justify the allegations he made against the national chairman, he said: “The man (Oyegun) cannot manage success. Since 2015 when the APC won the presidential election, tell me a single NEC meeting that has been held? This man cannot galvanise support for the president.
“What we are saying is that if Oyegun continues like this we are going to have imposition at all levels in APC come 2019.”
When asked whether the group was known to the party, the spokesman said: “This is a democracy where many wings can grow to push for the interest of many.”
Meanwhile, preparations for the NEC meeting of the party entered high gear Monday, with the secretariat of the APC wearing a new look.
Also, Oyegun was reported to have met with the state chairmen of the party Sunday night to articulate a common position ahead of the National Caucus and NEC meetings.
A top party source who accompanied Oyegun to the meeting with the chairmen, said that they discussed several issues, including the crises in some state chapters of the APC and actions taken so far to resolve them.
It was also learnt that Oyegun used the opportunity of Sunday’s meeting to seek the understanding of his colleagues at the state level, especially those that are members of the NEC not to support attempts to undermine him at Tuesday’s meeting.
At Monday night’s National Caucus meeting, the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha, was the toast of the meeting, as several party chieftains and governors rushed to take photographs with him.
The meeting, which started at 8.30 p.m. in the Banquet Hall of the State House, had the president and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in attendance.
Others seen at the meeting included Saraki, Dogara, Tinubu, Oyegun, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Yusuff Lasun, the past National Chairman of the APC Bisi Akande, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Governors Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Aminu Masari (Katsina), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Sani Bello (Niger) and Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), among other party chieftains and ministers.
However, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was conspicuously absent at the meeting.
At the end of the meeting of the National Caucus, the party members resolved to work together in unity and to support the president, so that the party can be stronger.
Also, the party’s National Assembly promised to support the president in his policies.
Speaking, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim said those who had expected a crisis, leading to the removal of Oyegun, were disappointed, adding that instead the party members resolved to remain united.
Oyegun also described the meeting as “fantastic”, saying it was the beginning of new things to come, noting that by the time NEC meeting is concluded, they would speak more.