APC State Chairmen Plan Meeting With Federal Government To Address Economic Hardship
Several state chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) arrived in Abuja on Thursday for the scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, only to find a near-empty party secretariat. While the meeting had been indefinitely postponed, the chairmen took the opportunity to address the media, discussing the hardship being faced by Nigerians, particularly due to the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Despite the absence of APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and members of the National Working Committee (NWC), the state chairmen emphasized their intention to hold separate meetings with party leaders and the Federal Government to discuss the economic strain affecting citizens. The indefinite postponement of the party’s NEC and National Caucus meetings, originally set for September 11 and 12, was attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s unavailability.
Alfonsus Ogar, the Cross River State APC chairman and secretary of the chairmen’s forum, explained that the visit to the party’s secretariat, despite knowing about the postponement, was to keep the press informed on crucial party matters, including the crises in Benue and Rivers states. Ogar also refuted claims that the ruling APC has been insensitive to the challenges facing Nigerians due to recent economic policies, such as the subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.
Ogar acknowledged that the nation is going through a difficult period but assured that efforts are being made to address these issues. He revealed that the state chairmen plan to hold closed-door meetings with both party leaders and the Federal Government to discuss the pressing economic challenges.
“We are not unaware of the hardship being experienced by Nigerians. We are making moves to meet with the party leadership and the Federal Government. Until those discussions take place, it would be premature to comment further on the matter,” Ogar said.
In response to the situation, the APC’s National Deputy Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, defended the chairmen’s presence in Abuja, noting that some had already arrived before the postponement was publicly announced.
During the meeting, the Forum of APC State Chairmen, led by Lagos APC chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, expressed condolences to the family of the late Oyo State APC chairman, Isaac Omodewu, and extended sympathies to the Borno governor and Vice President Kashim Shettima following recent floods that claimed lives and displaced many residents.
Ojelabi also commended the Ganduje-led NWC for its decision to extend the tenure of the Rivers State caretaker committee under the leadership of Chief Tony Okocha, reaffirming the APC’s commitment to resolving internal party issues while addressing national concerns.
