President
Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined the national caucus of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) to abide strictly with the party’s constitution while conducting
congresses at wards, local governments, states and national levels.
Mr.
Buhari made the appeal at the opening of the APC National Caucus meeting at the
presidential villa, Abuja on Monday.
He
said: “We should strictly follow the constitution of the party in undertaking
these party elections.
“We
should ensure internal democracy and avoid short cuts and illegal manoeuvres
which have characterized the opposition party with the consequences that they
are now divided.’’
He
reminded the APC caucus that it must also avoid the undemocratic illegal tenets
that characterised “the opposition party with the consequences that they are
now divided.’’
According
to the president, the APC has a history of conducting free and fair primaries
whenever consensus about any candidacy is not reached.
He said
regardless of the outcomes of the primary processes, “it is imperative that we
all work together to ensure the victory of our party.’’
President
Buhari thanked the party officials and members for the successes recorded in
the 2015 elections.
“We
must remember that this resounding success would not have been achieved without
the unity of purpose we exhibited in challenging and defeating an incumbent
government.
“Those
outstanding successes would not have been possible without your hard work,
dedication, and above all, sacrifice.
“I wish
to individually and collectively thank you all sincerely for believing in me
and remaining steadfast party members despite distractions and antics of the
opposition,’’ he said.
According
to him, such unity is needed now more than ever, if the party hopes to succeed
in the looming general elections.
Mr.
Buhari also urged the caucus and other party members to give the Bola Tinubu
reconciliation committee maximum support and cooperation.
“I have
appointed a committee, headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a leader of the Party, to
reconcile differences in various states.
“We
hope the committee will be given maximum support and cooperation to enable it
to satisfactorily carry out its work and get the party united in purpose and in
shape for the battles ahead,’’ he added.
The
president acknowledged criticisms about the pace of his administration
particularly in appointments to boards of government agencies, but said the
issue is being addressed, as many of such appointments had been made.
Earlier,
the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, stressed the need for
all party members to put aside their differences and work to ensure victory for
the party in the 2019 general elections.
Some
APC chieftains attending the meeting include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo,
Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogora, serving and former governors,
members of APC National Working Committee, lawmakers, the party’s National
Executive Council, and cabinet ministers among others.
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