Buhari: How to return APC to ‘winning ways’

Buhari, APC leaders at NEC 

To return All Progressives Congress, APC to “winning ways,” members must get the acts together, President Muhammadu Buhari said on  Thursday in Abuja in an address he delivered at the National Executive Committee meeting of the party.

Addressing leaders of the ruling party made up of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors and the leadership of National Assembly, the President advised that APC must maintain cohesion by closing its ranks.

He identified the immediate task before the party as the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

“We must be alive to the time and the task that is before us. As we all know, we are immediately confronted with the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States. Therefore, this is the time to get our acts together, ’’ the President said.

As a first step, he asked all feuding members to withdraw all pending litigations against one another, and settle for internal conciliation.

The President warned that if party members failed  to heed the warning, the mutating disagreements could lead to self-destruction, with dire consequences.

President Buhari said the gains of the party could be reversed as conflicts overshadow the primary objective of service to the people, urging members to refocus on the larger picture and place more emphasis on uniting the party.
“Fellow party members, this is a very crucial moment in the life of our party and it is with a deep sense of concern that I stand before you today to speak as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has been elected on the platform of our great party – the All Progressives Congress.

“The issues currently confronting our party at this time are such that should worry every party member. At the moment, our great party is faced with internal wrangling; there are on-going litigations amongst some party members and we cannot clearly ascertain the status of certain National Working Committee (NWC) members.’’

The President expressed worry over the shifting loyalty within the party and inconsistency in leadership, which had opened the governing party to mockery.

“There are also other associated disputes as to the legitimacy or otherwise of holders of certain National Offices of the Party.  The Party is also contending with Judicial claims and counter-claims, Orders and Counter-Orders and indeed Judgments   and   Counter-Judgments   that   are   predominantly at cross-purposes.

“Confronted with these issues, it is obvious that the fortunes of the party are currently   in   jeopardy,   administration   of   our   party   is   becoming impossible and there is consequently an urgent need for intervention to immediately arrest further drifts and internal wrangling which may lead to total disintegration.

“What   we   see   clearly   emerging,   is   that   we   are beginning   to   self-destruct.   This, my dear party members, is not just regrettable but utterly gut   wrenching.’’

President Buhari proposed that:

“The meeting may adopt the developed resolution as contained in the agenda and pass resolutions including: approving  the   immediate   discontinuation   of   all   pending litigations involving the party and its members; ratifying the primary election conducted in Edo State; dissolving the current National Working Committee, and appointing  caretaker/Extra-ordinary   Convention Planning committee for the party.’’

The President also reiterated the need to discontinue all litigations involving members of the party, which were connected to issues of the party, adding: “The directive had   been   issued before, unfortunately some members failed to heed the directive. Thus, at this time, it must be made a Resolution   of   the   Party which   must   be effectively   enforced   with   dire consequences for members who choose to ignore the directive.’’

The President said in order to return to the “winning ways’’, the APC must maintain cohesion by closing its ranks.

“We must be alive to the time and the task that is before us. As we all know, we are immediately confronted with the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States. Therefore, this is the time to get our acts together.’

The emergency NEC meeting adopted all the recommendations by President Buhari, and appointed the Governor of Yobe State, Mallam Mai Buni, as Caretaker National Chairman, while Senator John Akpanudoede was designated Caretaker National Secretary.