Sequel to the accusation by a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mr. Bola Tinubu, leveled against the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, of sabotaging the reconciliation process he’s leading, Oyegun met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-doors in the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
Odigie-Oyegun, who arrived the Presidential Villa at 3.00 pm, left around 3.50 pm, avoiding journalists who were eager to ask him questions.
It also emerged yesterday that Oyegun acknowledged Tinubu’s letter and wished him well in his presidential assignment.
There was no information on the nature of the discussion Buhari had with Oyegun but it is believed that the president might have cautioned him on the implication of frustrating the crucial reconciliation process in the party less than a year to the general elections.
Tinubu’s letter alleging sabotage of the reconciliation process he was assigned to lead by Buhari shocked many to the marrows as Oyegun as the national chairman of the party was expected to be at the forefront of the reconciliation process.
It is sensible to for any discerning mind to feel that Buhari purposely gave the assignment to Tinubu so that the latter can feel a sense of belonging since Tinubu’s position after the 2015 election is that he has been sidelined by Buhari despite his efforts to see Buhari and APC win the election.
But the alleged hostility towards Tinubu by Oyegun in the course of discharging his presidential assignment was not surprising to some others as there has been no love lost between both men since the latter allegedly conspired to frustrate the choice of the former’s governorship choice in Ondo State in 2016.
In expression of his frustration over the process which had schemed out his candidate at the primary, Tinubu called for Oyegun’s resignation at the time.
Ironically, Tinubu it was who staked his neck for Oyegun’s emergence as the party’s national chairman before the 2015 election, a move which pitted him against Chief Tom Ikimi and led to lkimi’s exit from APC.
I Wish You Well, Odigie-Oyegun Replies Tinubu
Meanwhile, apparently accepting Buhari’s plea not to engage the former governor of Lagos State, Tinubu, over a letter he addressed to him, accusing him of undermining his efforts at reconciling aggrieved members of the party, Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday merely acknowledged Tinubu’s letter and wished him well in his presidential assignment.
In his letter dated February 23, 2018, titled “Action and Conduct Weakening the Party from Within’’, which he personally assigned, the APC National Chairman wrote: “I thank you for your letter dated February 21, 2018, for your prayer and good wishes for my health. I wish you the same and pray that our good God keeps you strong and grant you His peace.
“Let me once again formally congratulate you on the peace making assignment Mr. President has entrusted you with.
“It is most challenging but I believe you will ultimately justify the confidence reposed in you by Mr. President. In this, you have my fullest support. Be assure, dear Asiwaju, of my highest regards now and always.’’
Tinubu, in his eight-page letter dated February 21, which was copied to the President, Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, accused Odigie-Oyegun of taking actions aimed at sabotaging his presidential assignment.