The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Friday. said that he would commence a 10-day working break from Monday to enable him rest.
?He said the Deputy National Chairman, South, Engr. Segun Oni, would act on his behalf during the vacation.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun addressed journalists at the APC National Secretariat to clarify the reports that he would go on a month-long vacation that could signal the beginning of his disengagement from the party.
He said despite his health challenge, he managed to attend last Wednesday’s meeting of the party’s key leaders at the State House, Abuja.
He dismissed the media report suggesting an “internal strife” in the party and a move to “ease” him out of office.
He said, “I have been chairman for how long now? It’s going to two years. It has been very intense prior to building the party- a very intense period putting government together up to this point. All that has happened is that I think I deserve a bit of a break. That will start effective Monday. In my absence, my deputy, Engr Oni, will cover my beat. It is that simple, it is that straightforward. Any speculation about not being in the office is of no consequence.
“On Tuesday, I was down with malaria. I managed on Wednesday to attend that crucial meeting at the presidency. On Thursday, I had to go to the hospital just to be sure. Today (Friday), I am at work, full stop.”
When asked about the duration of the break, he said, “Ten working days (two weeks). So, if you start counting from Monday, you should know when I’ll be back. The meeting on Wednesday has such important national issues that chairman or no chairman position has nothing to do with such serious issues of national importance. It’s very serious that select group like that was put together to address so nothing as mundane as whether the future of the chairman is in doubt or not….
Asked to speak on the date for the constitution of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the Board would meet on March 22, the day before the National Caucus would also hold its meeting.
He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making body of the party, would meet on March 24.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun said President Muhammadu Buhari was currently talking to those who had an impact in re-arranging the international economic realities to change some of the current dynamics made oil collapsed “in such a precipitate manner”.
He said the president’s trips and investment drive were necessary because Nigeria needed good prices for oil so that it could implement its own national development plan.
