BarRing any last-minute changes, the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress will hold its inaugural meeting on Wednesday.
It was gathered in Abuja on Saturday that reconciling aggrieved party members, especially those of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party bloc in the party, would form part of the deliberations at the meeting.
Although details are still being fine-tuned, a usually reliable party insider, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, explained that the inaugural meeting is meant to set the agenda and policy direction of the party in line with the new APC chairman’s vision.
He said, “One of the first tasks before us is the issue of reconciliation. We will set out to reconcile all aggrieved persons, including those (nPDP members) that you mentioned.”
The source further explained that the new administration was not going to “draw back the hands of time” with respect to discussions with the nPDP members, who are already in talks with a subsisting committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The committee, he said, would be allowed to conclude its work to find a common ground.
Issues likely to be discussed also include strategies on how to deal with the fallout of the just concluded convention as well as the ward, local government and state congresses held prior to the national convention.
He, however, explained that most party leaders were unhappy that members of the defunct nPDP were still making reference to their former party to make demands on the party.
The source added, “Irrespective of our party backgrounds, we are today members of the APC. We will expect party members to approach the party with their grievances as party members not as members of one bloc or another.
“As a former national chairman of a party, (Kawu) Baraje is a member of our Board of Trustees, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are senior party members. They have every right to approach the party or Mr. President, to raise any issue.
“So, there is really no reason for them to return to their previous party affiliation to make a case.”
Findings revealed that the foundation for the renewed efforts to assuage the aggrieved nPDP members was laid during the recent national convention.
A top-ranking member of the party leadership, who spoke in confidence because of the sensitivity of the issue, said there was a gentleman’s agreement to continue with the talks.
He said, “The mere fact that leaders of the nPDP, such as the national chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje; the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, participated actively in the just-concluded national convention should tell you something.
“You people in the media kept speculating that there would be a walkout and all that. Did you see any such thing? We will certainly resolve these issues very soon.”
Another party insider told our correspondents, “It is in the spirit of reconciliation that most of the nPDP members, who held NWC positions, were supported to return. It would have been a total purge if there was no compromise; that is the truth.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had, in his address to party delegates during last Saturday’s APC national convention, said the unresolved cases in the party were the price the APC had to pay for its success.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in his reaction on Saturday, said, “Efforts to reconcile aggrieved members of the party will be the priority of the Oshiomhole-led administration as we settle down.
“The President (Buhari) set the tone during our last convention. If you listened to his speech, he urged aggrieved party members not to leave.
“I will also refer you to the address of our chairman who asked all members of the party to remain within for us to rebuild and re-position the party for the task ahead.”
Also, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, said, “I am in my village. I should be back in time for our meeting next week.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the National Vice-Chairman (South-South), Hilliard Eta, said, “We will be meeting on Wednesday. We will know the agenda when we get there.”
