From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A late minute intervention by Lady Omorede Osifo, former Edo State commissioner and deputy national treasurer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the recent 13th meeting National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja has raised hope for the so-called “five marginalised” national deputies in the ruling party.
Multiple sources at the meeting disclosed that Lady Osifo, at the meeting, raised concerns about the plight of the deputies and urged President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the party to look into their inclusion like their other counterparts in the NWC.
Tinubu reportedly hailed her for bringing the issue to the front burner and immediately mandated that the issue be looked into promptly.
According to one of the sources: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has demonstrated numerous times that he is a leader who believes in fairness immediately swung into action by discussing with the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Ganduje and other leaders on the way forward.
“Thereafter, a committee was put together headed by the former governor of Yobe State, Mala Buni to look into the criteria for bringing new members into the National Working Committee as well as National Executive Committee of the ruling party the All Progressives Congress.”
Other members of the committee include Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele – South West; Alphonsus Ogar Eba – South South; Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari – North West; Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum – North East; Gov. Abdullahi Sule – North Central and a representative of South East.
The sources added that the party leaders were grateful to Mr President for taking prompt action and were full of admiration for the “Edo State amazon” for her wonderful presentation.”
The issue of the five “marginalised national deputies” have been lingering for several years. The aggrieved officials are miffed that they were excluded from the mainstream fold of the NWC since the current leadership was constituted and inaugurated three years ago.
The five deputies who have reportedly lodged complaints to the NWC are Ibrahim Salawu, deputy National legal adviser; Osifo, deputy national treasurer; Jamalu Kabiru, deputy national youth leader; Olufemi Akpedeyi, deputy national auditor and Christopher Akpan, deputy national welfare secretary.
Part of their complaints is that while the national leadership had rebuffed entreaties to include them in the NWC, other five deputies, comprising the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, Deputy National Financial Secretary, Hamma-Adama Ali Kumo, Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko and Deputy National Women Leader, Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, were incorporated.
Meanwhile, the party National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has mandated the Buni-led committee to take an holistic look at the party’s constitution with a view to recommending the review of the membership of NEC and the NWC to accommodate the “population, strength and spread of the party.” The committee is to recommend to the NEC possible amendments to the party’s constitution for further inclusivity, participation and involvement ahead of the non-elective national convention slated for 2026 .
Buni confirmed that the committee’s mandate to expand and look at so many areas of the party’s constitution with the view to encourage wider participation and involvement.
He noted that for the ruling party to remain relevant, the need to periodically review its operations and activities informed the formation of the committee.
“The assignment of the committee is to strengthen and further widen the scope of operations and for proper inclusion. It is all about inclusivity. We don’t want to exclude people, we want to include people. That means we want to have a document that will strengthen the party and prepare it for the 2027 election.
“It is all about inclusivity. We are going to work on that and by the grace of God, we are sure, God will guide us and see us through to deliver on the work as expected of us.”