President free to pick ministers, says APC

President Muhammadu Buhari is free to pick his ministers, his party said yesterday.All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the party trusts the President’s judgment.

Buhari is expected to send the names of his ministers to the Senate for confirmation latest tomorrow. Speaking after a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Odigie-Oyegun said:  ”We know that the President will do what he needs to do. What happened or did not happen between us and the President is a matter for the party as a family. It is a family affair, but he will do what he needs to do, when he needs to do it. You can trust him on that.”

He also promised that the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) would soon be inaugurated. “You know that we have been pretty busy, but I want to assure you that it will soon be inaugurated.”

Odigie-Oyegun announced the decision to fix another Bayelsa State governorship primary for today in Yenagoa.

He spoke to reporters after the meeting which was briefed by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the chair of the panel that organised last week’s primary, which was cancelled.

With Odigie-Oyegun at the briefing were Deputy Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Primce Hillaard Etta, National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed and National Women Leader Hajia Ramatu Tijanni Ali

The chairman said: “The main issue that occupied us today at the NWC meeting has to do with the Bayelsa governorship primary. We want to make it very clear that as a party, the APC guides very jealously its record of free and fair primary.

“The NWC sees it as a duty to provide a level playing ground for all those who aspire to offices in this party. Unfortunately, in Bayelsa State, we had serious security challenges and so, the process could not meet the standard which this party has set for itself.

“So, we had no alternative than to stop the process by ensuring that the chairman of the panel is effectively moved out of the venue with the help of security agencies. We decided thereafter that there should be a proper fresh primary.

“So today, the party decided and we have written to INEC appropriately that the party has decided to conduct fresh primary for the Bayelsa governorship election, beginning tomorrow. So, the process for fresh primary will begin tomorrow.

“We are getting in touch with the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to please assist us by ensuring effective security.

“Let me make one thing clear. The issue of who is candidate or not is not the issue here. That is not what is in consideration because it can be any of the 19 aspirants that obtained the form to contest that election.

“But for the APC, the party of change, it is essential that in party processes, elections within the party are also seen to be free, fair, totally above board and without any form of force. That is what we hope to achieve beginning from tomorrow. The venue remains Yenagoa because by law, you cannot change the venue because that is part of the electoral Act.”

On whether the party plan to discipline members who announced the result of the primary in disregard of the guideline, the chairman said. “We sent people to do a job and it got to a situation where they had reasons to fear for their safety – rightly or wrongly. Anything that anybody does in such a situation to keep body and soul in one piece is welcome.”

On the alleged plan by Timiprieye Silva to challenge the decision of the party in court and the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Odigie-Oyegun said: “That is what the courts are for. We will cross that bridge when we get there. The Saraki issue is in court and I will not want to say one word about it”

Speaking on security for the fresh primary, the chairman said: “They say once beaten, twice shy. I am not a security man; I am not a security expert. But I am sure that the IGP is fully abreast with with what happened that day as well as what can be done and need to be done to avoid a repetition and we trust his judgement.”