APC NWC: Oshiomhole Accepts NEC’s Dissolution In Good Faith, Withdraws Supreme Court Case

The suspended national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has accepted the decision by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) to dissolve the national working committee (NWC) and has asked his lawyers to withdraw his suit at the supreme court.

The APC NEC had, in its meeting held in the Council Chamber at the State House in Abuja, resolved to dissolve the NWC and appointed Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman of the party’s Caretaker/ Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee.

At a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Oshiomhole told journalists he had accepted that dissolution in “good faith”.

“The APC under my chairmanship has done its best and the results are there. Of course we have now been dissolved and I have accepted that dissolution in good faith,” he said.

“I’m not going into the question of legality or illegality. The bottomline is that the president who invited me to lead the party and who mobilised all the support for my emergence as chairman also presided over the meeting where the NWC has now been dissolved.

“Mr President graciously invited me to run for the office of chairmanship of the party in 2018 precisely about two years ago. The president told me then that if we do not reform the APC, we can as well forget about the party.

“You know that reforms are challenging and it will entail taking difficult decisions. Mine has been a life of trouble and I accepted this and I believe I did my best.

“I’m happy that at the end of the day, 2019 elections have come and gone thanks to Nigerian people, our president had more votes in 2019 than we had in 2015. We have more members in the senate and house of representatives.”

“Unlike in 2015 when we were unable to manage our victory in the two chambers such that we ended up with an APC Senate President who later decamped and a PDP Deputy Senate President, this time, working hard with my colleagues in the NWC and in consultation with leaders of the party across the board, we were able to have the kind of unity which is expected of a governing party in the two chambers of the National Assembly.

“I am happy that the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly are working harmoniously with Mr President on the Executive side and we are able to have what you can truly call a functioning relationship.”

The President, Muhammadu Buhari had, in the meeting, also called on party members to withdraw all pending court cases.

Although there were reported plans by some aggrieved NWC members to seek redress in court, despite the President’s pronouncement but later backtracked on their decision.

The former Edo State governor said he had also instructed his lawyers to withdraw his pending case at the supreme court.

“Accordingly, I have instructed my lawyers to withdraw my case that is currently pending at the Supreme Court which has to do with the issue of my suspension.

“To sustain the legal action will tantamount to going against one of the decisions that the president had reached, namely that all cases be withdrawn from courts. I still believe that even as a member of the APC, I have a duty to lead by example.”

He further assured the President of his commitment to the course of the APC.

“I want to reassure Mr President that my confidence in his leadership remains unshaken, my commitment to our party as a member remains unshaken.

“I also want to use this opportunity to appreciate all the governors of the APC, all the leaders of APC across the country, all the non-NWC members who had stood by me over this period and of course my colleagues in the NWC including those who went to court and who took steps that on a good day one can describe as a bit unbecoming. On this occasion, all those belonging to the past,” said the former APC national chairman.

“As you can see this briefing is very brief because today is minimum words, maximum wisdom.

“Life is a stage, there is always entry and exit and this afternoon, I just want to assure everybody, APC will have peace and by the grace of God, President Buhari will achieve his three key principal promises he made to Nigerians and I will give him all the support I can give him as a Nigerian, as a member of the APC and as a loyalist of President Muhammadu Buhari.”