Following intense deliberations and closed-door discussions at the national secretariat in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) successfully brokered a truce, prompting the Ondo House of Assembly to temporarily suspend its plans to impeach Deputy Governor Lucky Ayiedatiwa.
This decision was made during a two-hour meeting involving key stakeholders, including the Aminu Bello Masari-led Reconciliation Committee and state party officials.
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Amid mounting accusations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor, the 18 out of 22 APC lawmakers, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Oladeji Olamide, had initiated the impeachment process, serving Aiyedatiwa with a notice of the allegations. However, the recent intervention aims to facilitate a comprehensive resolution to the existing discord, thereby ensuring the stability and unity of the party in Ondo State.
Speaking to the press after the pivotal session, Chairman Aminu Bello Masari emphasized the commitment of the national leadership to fostering a durable and amicable settlement within the party.
As part of this effort, all imminent steps related to the impeachment proceedings have been halted, enabling the reconciliation committee to engage with all concerned parties and stakeholders, marking a temporary respite in the turbulent political climate of the state.
Masari said:
“We are working hard with the House of Assembly and the National leadership of the party to find a lasting solution to the crisis bedevilling our party and the government in Ondo state
“All actions for the pros and against have been suspended for now to allow the committee to complete its work.
“The Speaker House of Assembly is here with us, he will collaborate with the leader of the party to see the final stand of the APC National Working Committee.”
Acknowledging the lawmakers’ presence in Abuja on the invitation of the national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the reconciliation committee, Speaker Olamide affirmed the lawmakers’ commitment to collaborating with the party to reach a lasting resolution to the ongoing crisis.
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He said:
“We were invited by the National chairman and the chairman of the Reconciliation Committee. We promised to work with the national chairman and the chairman of the reconciliation committee to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ondo state.
“We gave a promise that on our part, we are ready to cooperate as an arm of government with the party. At the same time, whenever they want to meet us, we will be of help to the committee.
“More importantly, we will allow the committee to do their work without hitches. Apart from that, we believe this is the only political solution that will be of help to resolve the crisis in Ondo State.”
Expressing gratitude to all the parties involved in the crisis for endorsing a political resolution to the deadlock in the state, the APC National Chairman underscored that the lawmakers’ decision to halt their actions demonstrated their commitment as democrats and loyal members of the party.
Ganduje, having received an interim report from the Masari-led committee, revealed that the reconciliation committee had not yet engaged in discussions with the embattled deputy governor and Governor Olwarotimi Akeredolu. Nonetheless, he affirmed the agreement of ceasefire that had been established with the lawmakers.
According to him,
“Now, having suspended the impeachment process, they (lawmakers) have created a conducive environment to continue dialoguing. We believe that we will reach a political solution.
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“APC, as a political party, is an institution that is indispensable to democracy. Therefore, apart from our basic function for recruitment of membership, elected officers, and appointed officers, it is our responsibility to see that all the ethics of democracy are followed and crises averted in our government, both at the sub-national level and at the international level.
“It is a political crisis and we are a political institution. So there’s no way we can fold our arms and see that our children are fighting and we allow them to go like that.”