The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday met after the Court of Appeal vacated an earlier High Court ruling that affirmed the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
There was heavy security presence in and around the National Secretariat of the APC with trigger friendly and fierce looking operatives of the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS) strategically placed during the meeting.
In his opening remarks before the meeting went closed-door, Oshiomhole declared that the the NWC was not divided but as progressives there was bound to be contestations amongst them.
“So, today we have come here to remind people, members nationwide that this NWC is not divided. It is true we have had arguments. It true some tempers may have been high. It is true some people may have been provoked to try to approach the court, but it is also true that deep in our hearts no one of us wants to destroy our party.
“Let me also say that I am the first to admit that I am not the best Chairman in the world and I will never be. But no one can fault the sincerity of my purpose. My style can only be my style. But, I recognise that I must reconcile my style to others so that we can meet in the middle of the road”, he said.
Oshiomhole observed that, “we do not lay claim to a family that has members who will be so docile that they can argue among themselves or even sometimes who really want to fight.
“That is the hallmark of democracy. It can only be unusual when we fight each other, we quarrel with one another, we develop that level of animosity that we become incapable of sitting down, putting in our thinking cap, reminding ourselves that what bind us together is much more than whatever divides us”.
The former Edo Governor stressed that, “God is never wrong, He has allowed what has happened to happen so that we all can learn, everybody re-examine is conscience, strengthen those bonds of friendship, bonds of solidarity and work as a family.
“I’m honoured to be able to preside here as Chairman of this party and I believe that everyone of my colleague in the NWC is honoured out of millions of our members. We sat here and work out formulas in the two chambers of the NASS, Speaker to everybody. With all the initial anxieties, thanks to our collective spirit. We achieve something that was not achievable since 2015.
“So, if we had passed those tests, those tempting moments, those temptations I think God defended us not just to succeed for election purpose. He wants us to run our party in a way that others will be envious of what we have accomplished. And, I believed not a few are envious of what we have accomplished. How easy is it to have been able to work and democratically vote out a ruling party and we have taken over”.
James Kwen, Abuja
