UPDATED: BUHARI, OSINBAJO, OTHERS ATTEND CRUCIAL APC NEC MEETING
UPDATED:
BUHARI, OSINBAJO, OTHERS ATTEND CRUCIAL APC NEC MEETING
President
Muhammadu Buhari has called on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
to be shining examples in the forthcoming party primaries for the 2019 general
election.
The
president made this known in his speech at the National Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting of the APC.
The NEC
meeting was also attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors, Senate
Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, Secretary to the Government the Federation, Boss
Mustapha, ex-governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom amongst others.
A party
leader, Bola Tinubu, who is not a NEC member, was also sighted at the
secretariat of the party. He was, however, not part of the meeting and was not
in the NEC hall where the meeting was held.
Apologies
were read on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu
Dorara, and Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, who were absent at the meeting.
According
to the apologies, they were both absent due to other engagement and medical
appointment outside the country respectively.
Mr Buhari
urged that the primaries follow electoral guidelines as contained in the
Nigerian constitution, electoral act and APC constitution to ensure fairness
and justice to all.
“Today, we
are meeting to look at some major decisions that will lead to excellent
performance at the polls next year starting with party primaries at various
levels.
“I urge
you all to ensure that the decision taken here today are those that will be for
the good of the party and that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of our
teaming members and supporters nationwide. They look up to us for guidance and
we must not disappoint or fail them.
“As we stand
on the threshold of party primaries, I urge all and sundry to ensure that we
play the game according to the rules. Let us come out with free, fair and
credible primaries which will be precursor to free, fair and credible general
elections next year.
“Let us shine the light through our primaries and the rest of the country will
find the way. Our primaries must be in complete compliance with the provision
of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the
Electoral Act and above all the constitution of our party, the APC.
“The times
in which we call for unity, harmony and togetherness, let us all join hands to
move our party forward, we must take our party to the next level and I urged
all and sundry to give support to our national working committee.”
In his
speech, Mr Buhari congratulated the new leadership of the party, led by
ex-governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, which he said emerged at a critical time.
“Let me
congratulate the current leadership of our party led by Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole. The team emerged at a most turbulent time when there were rumours
and speculations of massive defections in a way that will possible rock the
very foundation of the party.
“Despite
reconciliatory attempts to keep the house together some members were held bent
on pulling down the roofs. They left plotting to go along with scores of
people; thus upsetting the party. But due to yeoman’s work by the able party
leadership, the exit barely made attempt in our super structure as they could
not muster the figures they had envisaged to cause an upset, particularly in
the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“APC
remains in control and increases by the day with quality people joining our
fold. I say congratulations to the new members.
“Hope is
rekindled in our hearts but we will give our country purposeful leadership that
will improve the quality of life of the people.”
The
National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in his opening remark, gave the scorecard
of the party’s achievement since his leadership came about two months ago.
He boasted
that the party has won most of the elections held under his leadership
including governorship (in Ekiti), and senatorial (in Bauchi and Katsina
states).
He said
the victory in Bauchi, Katsina and Kogi was an affirmation that the people had
confidence in the leadership of the party while the loss in the House of
Representatives elections held in Cross Rivers, Yobe and Taraba, confirms
democracy was working.
Speaking on the defectors, he said their exit was for the good of the party. He
described them as conservatives that needed to move away for the party to move
forward.
“The
decampees felt it will be a huge blow to our party. But I repeat, those that
left for personal ambition, those with no political address, migrant politicians
and rolling stones politicians, I won’t loss my sleep. Many felt my comments
were arrogant but we needed to be blunt.
“We have
purged ourselves of excess fat that will clog our veins and we are much more
certain of our future.
“Those who
have grievances arising from genuine misunderstanding, our responsibilities is
to help our party to have common ground and genuinely resolve those issues and
we have been trying our best to do so as can be attested to by those that have
remained.”
He
commended President Buhari for demanding that looted funds stashed in foreign
countries be returned.
“If you
had money in foreign countries you won’t have the courage to tell the leaders
to return stolen money,” the party chairman said.
At the end
of the meeting, the APC NEC adopted direct primary to select its presidential
candidate.
The party,
however, declined to adopt direct primaries for other positions.
