Why I Didnt Visit Buhari In London – APC Chairman John Oyegun

Why I Didnt Visit Buhari In London – APC Chairman John Oyegun

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has attributed his perceived failure to visit President Muhammadu Buhari in the United Kingdom to a mutual agreement.

Many observers had attributed Oyegun’s absence when APC leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande visited the president in London during his last trip to the existence of a rift between Oyegun and other leaders of the party.

The APC chairman, however, insists that he maintains a cordial relationship with the president and that the latter was not deliberately withholding funds from the party as punishment for his failure to lead members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to visit him (Buhari) in London.

“I asked him, do you think I should come and he said ‘don’t worry I would be coming back soon’ and to me that was good enough. I know maybe from the point of view of public relations, maybe once you go there and sit there and get photographed, maybe yes if you look at it from that point of view you have a point,” Oyegun said.

The APC national chairman also hinted that there were no plans to visit the president in the UK where he has returned for further treatment.

“When he came back the first time, we saw and he has gone back now and I know he wants to be left in peace. Again that is my nature, I am not someone that gives in to every photo opportunity,” Oyegun said.

Speaking on the power play within the party, the APC chairman said he had been able to neutralise the various power blocs within the party to ensure the supremacy of the party. He added that it was no longer possible for anyone to control the party from his bedroom.

“There is no likelihood (of a break-off) but should it happen, the threat and damage it would do to the party would be very minimal today. Which part of the country, the South-West? Who controls Ogun State, who controls Ondo State? Oyo State is on the fence, who will control Osun State, who is likely to control Ekiti State in terms of who will be the next governor?

“So the mainstream of the party is now well placed and the point has been proven clearly from Ondo State that in a free and fair election, nobody’s word is certain,” he said.

Vanguard reports that the APC chairman stressed that he had the full support of President Buhari who has always hammered on party supremacy.