The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday said that top leaders of the party met last Wednesday to discuss issues of national importance. He addressed journalists at the APC National Secretariat to clarify speculations on the State House meeting, and said he would go on a month-long vacation that would signal the beginning of his disengagement from the party.

The APC boss said he would actually commence a 10-day working break from Monday, adding that the Deputy National Chairman, South, Engr. Segun Oni, will act on his behalf during the vacation. He said despite his health challenges, he managed to attend last Wednesday's meeting of the party’s key leaders at the State House, Abuja.

He said: "It has been very intense prior to building the party - a very intense period putting government together up to this point. All that has happened is that I think I deserve a bit of a break. That will start effective Monday." When asked about the duration of the break, he said, "ten working days (two weeks). So, if you start counting from Monday, you should know when I'll be back.

The meeting on Wednesday was on important national issues and not about chairmanship. It’s very serious issues that a select group like that was put together to address and not mundane issues as whether the future of the chairman is in doubt or not. It is a group that brings all aspects of government and party at the highest level together." Asked to disclose the date for the constitution of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the Board would meet on March 22, the day before the National Caucus would also hold its meeting. He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making body of the party, will meet on March 24.

On whether the vacant positions in the party would be fixed at the NEC meeting, he said the party would follow the constitutional provisions in filling the positions, including that of National Publicity Secretary, which was left vacant, following the appointment of Alhaji Lai Mohammed as the Minister of Information. Top party bigwigs, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, APC National Leader, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Chief Oyegun himself, met in a closed session with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday. The APC has been struggling to unite its members since it defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential elections.

Meanwhile, Chief Odigie-Oyegun said President Muhammadu Buhari was currently talking to those who had an impact in re-arranging the international economic realities to change some of the current dynamics made oil collapsed "in such a precipitate manner". He said the president's trips and investment drive were necessary because Nigeria needed good prices for oil so that it could implement its own national development plan. He said Nigerians would soon experience positive impact of Mr President's actions.

The APC boss also reiterated that the ongoing anti-corruption war should not be given ethnic, religious or political connotations, stressing that the country currently experiences the side-effects of corruption.