The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), including the National Working Committee (NWC) members, and other key
stakeholders will be meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari next Friday.
The ruling party leaders will be joining the president to
break his fast in the evening of Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
A presidency source, who spoke to journalists at the
weekend, said President Buhari invited the leaders of the party to the State
House as part of the usual courtesies during the Muslim Ramadan fast.
"President Buhari has extended an invitation to the APC
leadership to join him in breaking fast at the Villa," the source said.
Another top member of APC told journalists that Oshiomhole
informed the NWC members of the President's invitation at their last meeting on
Friday.
He said that the president, who will be back to the country
early this week is very keen in having a smooth transition to the next
administration and would be ready to work with the party to achieve that.
The source explained that beyond the breaking of fast, the
president and the leaders of the party may use the opportunity to discuss the
preparation for the inauguration of his second term and most as well as the
raging tussle for the leadership of 9th National Assembly.
There is a growing apprehension within the APC fold on the
reported move by some northern elements, some of who are planning to go against
the party's choice for Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan and House of
Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Some of these elements were said to have developed cold feet
in supporting the two lawmakers already endorsed by the party.
It was gathered that part of the issues discussed at the NWC
meeting were the modalities for the zoning of the remaining National Assembly leadership positions.
So far, the party had endorsed candidates for only two
positions, Senator Ahmed Lawan (Norrh-east) for Senate President and Hon. Femi
Gbajabiamila (South-west), for Speaker House of Representatives.
It was furthergathered that part of the issues discussed at
the NWC meeting held on Friday was the modalities for the zoning of the
remaining National Assembly leadership positions.
So far, the party is yet to take a final decision on where
it will zone each of remaining National Assembly leadership positions.
The delay has thrown up a lot of agitations from among the
party's stakeholders with each zone positioning itself to grab the offices.
A reliable source who was privy to what transpired at the
NWC meeting said there were was heated debate between the National Chairman and
some of the NWC members.
on how to handle the
zoning offices in the incoming 9th National Assembly, especially the growing
agitations by party stakeholders.
It was learnt most of the NWC members appeared to be
supporting their zones in their quest to secure plum positions.
It was gathered the APC leadership is planning to use the
opportunity of meeting with the president to address the issue of the rebellion
by some members over its decision to endorse candidates for the senate
president and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
As part of the moves to stir the party away from crisis, it
was learnt that some of the concerned leaders are trying to arrange a peace
meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari where issues could be sorted out before
it becomes late.
It was learnt that the brewing crisis confidence has led to
the regrouping of these northern stakeholders to possibly annoint alternative
candidates that will square up against the ones endorsed by the APC.
They were said to have become apprehensive following their
findings that both Senator Lawan and Hon. Gbajabiamila may be linked to the
national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and that such affinity will
give the former Lagos state governor undue influence over the party if allowed
to stand. The NGF said that Local Government Councils are a creation of the
constitution and are not financial institutions. They are, governors also said,
not reporting entities and are therefore not under the NFIU in the manner
contemplated by the NFIU so-called guidelines.
In principle the NFIU should concentrate on its
core mandate of Anti-money laundering (AML) activities and Combatting financing
Terrorism (CTF) as prescribed in the Act establishing it and should desist from
encroaching on or even breaching constitutional provisions
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