R-APC's defection plans in disarray as Buhari, Oshiomhole step in
- President Buhari, Vice President Osinbajo and APC boss Oshiomhole's meetings are said to have sowed some seeds of confusion among R-APC members
- The aggrieved members of the faction are re-evaluating their position after the meetings thereby slowing down defection plans
- Some members of the R-APC still believe that not much has changed as the defections will still happen
Moves by President Muhammadu Buhari and APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole have reportedly temporarily slowed down the planned mass defection of members of the ruling party’s faction the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC).
The Nation reports that meetings between Buhari, vice president Osinbajo and Oshiomhole with some influential leaders of the group may have stalled the plans.
The newspaper quotes R-APC sources as saying that peace moves of the presidency and APC leadership in the last few days have slowed things down.
READ ALSO: R-APC makes 7 demands ahead crucial anti-defection meeting with Buhari
“The defection of our members was to be in batches. We have started as you can see, with some party leaders in some states as well as prominent aides and associates of our leaders announcing their resignation from the APC in the past weeks,” a source said on Thursday, July 19 just before the Buhari’s meeting with Saraki.
Other R-APC sources added that “Several meeting were held these past days to review and fine tune the processes outlined for others to move as agreed.
“If everything works out as planned, some members of the National Assembly will announce their defection this week. They will be joined by some party officials in some states as well as other prominent leaders of the ruling party across the states of the federation.”
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“We are likely to halt some of our plans for now. It is true the R-APC was to take some very crucial steps this week but due to the need for us as a group to re-appraise some of the things we have done before now, we may suspend some of the immediate things we planned to do, especially in the coming week.
"But I can assure you that it is not true that we have back tracked on our decision to leave APC. We will still leave the party,” the report also quoted an R-APC chieftain in Kwara state as saying.
Legit.ng had reported that President Buhari on Thursday, July 19, met behind closed doors with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate president Bukola Saraki and four All Progressives Congress (APC) governors at the state house, Abuja.
The APC governors at the meeting included Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Aminu Masari of Katsina, Abdul aziz Yari of Zamfara and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.
What was discussed has yet to be made public.
Legit.ng also reported that there were strong speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC and governors were considering juicy offers for Saraki, to prevent his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Some prominent leaders of the party, especially the coordinator of the reconciliation initiative, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, might be involved in the negotiation with Saraki.
Legit.ng gathered that Tinubu was said to have been briefed about President Buhari’s interaction with Saraki and others.
APC chieftains in Benue state say PDP has nothing to offer - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
