Buhari tells APC NEC to reverse tenure elongation for Oyegun, others

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday shocked members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of his party when he called for the cancellation of tenure extension for party officials.

The APC had in its NEC meeting on February 28 extended the tenure of members of National Working Committee (NWC) led by John Odigie-Oyegun by one year.

But speaking shortly before the commencement of NEC meeting Tuesday, Buhari told the party leadership to consider cancelling the tenure extension decision because “it is against the party and the Nigerian constitution.”

He, therefore, presented the matter “for discussion” at the meeting. Buhari said, “In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers. As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.

“This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC Meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.

“On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advise on the resolution. And what I found is that it contravenes both our party Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“While the APC Constitution, in Article 17(1) and 13.2(B), limits the tenure of elected officers to four years, renewable once by another election, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), in section 223, also prescribes periodic elections for party executives at regular intervals, which must not exceed four years.”

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