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…APC boss, Masari laud stakeholders
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
There is a temporal respite for embattled deputy governor of Ondo state, Lucky Ayiedatiwa, as the State House of Assembly has agreed to shelve planned impeachment proceedings against him.
The amicable resolution to the crisis was struck after a meeting with the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking to newsmen after the two hours closed door meeting at the national secretariat of the party, both the national chairman and the State House of Assembly Speaker confirmed the resolution to suspend the impeachment proceedings.
The meeting had in attendance members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the Aminu Bello Masari-led nine-man Reconciliation Committee, party’s state chairman, Ade Adetimilehin, and 18 out of the 22 APC lawmakers led by Speaker Oladeji Olamide.
Chairman of the reconciliation committee and former governor of Kastina, Masari told newsmen: “For now, the probe and impeachment process have been suspended to allow room for the committee to work. We met with all stakeholders, except for the governor who we are still making effort to see.”
The State Assembly Speaker, Oladeji Olamide, who disclosed that that the lawmakers were in Abuja at the instance of the party’s chairman, Ganduje, and the reconciliation committee, said that the Assembly was ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party.
“We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo State.
“We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee. More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State,” he said.
Appreciating all the stakeholders in the crisis for opting for political solution to the impasse in the state, national chairman, Ganduje said the decision by the lawmakers to ceasefire showed that they are democrats and committed party faithful.
His words: “First of all, I have to thank the speaker and his members of State Assembly for honouring our invitation to have indepth discussion and receive an interim report from the reconciliation committee. We thank you for that.
“This is proof that you are real democrats, civilised and believe in conflict resolution. I have to thank everybody in the reconciliation committee with experienced members, several senators, House of Representatives members and even the two-term governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari who joined us.
“I have to thank the State Assembly for agreeing to suspend the impeachment process and give room for political solution to the problem. As the reconciliation chairman has mentioned, they didn’t meet the governor and his deputy yet. But they met all the stakeholders. That was what warranted the meeting today.
“And now, having suspended the impeachment process, they have created a conducive environment to continue dialoguing. We believe that we will reach a political solution. APC, as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy.
“Therefore, apart from our basic function for recruitment of membership, elected and appointed officers, it is our responsibility to see that all the ethics of democracy are followed and crisis averted in our government, both at sub national level and at national level.
“It is a political crisis and we are a political institution. So, there is no way we can fold our arms and watch our children fighting and we allow them to go like that,” he said
