The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has revealed that those against his continued stay as national chairman of the ruling party were politicians scheming to take over control of the APC ahead of the 2019 elections.
Disclosing that some politicians were desperate to take over control of the party and reposition themselves ahead of the 2019 polls, Oyegun however expressed his resolve to make the APC a party that will not be controlled by any single individual.
Recall that a national leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had demanded the immediate resignation of Oyegun as national chairman, stating that "There exists a regressive element in the party that cares nothing for the progressive ideas upon which this party was founded".
More recently, APC's acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Timi Frank warned that unless President Muhammadu Buhari takes urgent action, the ruling party would collapse by January 2017.
He disclosed that several realignments were presently going on in the country which could make the APC cease to exist totally by 2019.
But speaking at a retreat organised by the Kano State government for party members in Sokoto on Friday, Oyegun maintained that the APC was very strong and was not enmeshed in crisis contrary to insinuations in the media.
He said, "As far as the fate of the national chairman is concerned, it is neither here nor there. What is happening is not about the national chairman or me.
"Unfortunately, people now have their eyes on 2019. And to prepare for 2019, some people think they need to take over control of the party but I want to assure you that this party belongs to all of us.
"We want to have a party that will not be controlled by any single individual. Of course, some people are not happy with their share of the way things are going. What is politics without argument and differences?
"APC is not in crisis, if the party is in crisis the leadership and governors will be divided. So, APC is strong and the party leadership is united towards a common goal."
The APC chairman continued that despite the differences in opinion in the party, the leadership was determined to resolve the differences and issues.
