– President Muhammadu Buhari has said
that all APC faithful must collectively come
together to rise above the current crisis
threatening to engulf the party.
Buhari made the call in Abuja on Friday at the
first National Executive Council (NEC)
emergency meeting of All Progressives
Congress (APC) after its victory at the polls.
He said party members should strive to win
the war (National Assembly crisis) as they won
the battle (general elections).
He said: ”APC has won the battle and lost the
war which is a paradox of democracy and we
shall see how we shall manage it.
”How do we manage it? We move forward.
“I have already appealed to you through the
chairman, the leadership of the party, through
the governors, through our lawmakers and the
APC must not disappoint its constituency, the
nation.
”We have had to convince our individual
constituencies that we are worthy of
sacrifices they had made in staying awake days
and nights, travelling all over the country and
making sure the party emerged victorious.
”What subsequently happened is human and as
human beings we are not perfect but let our
collective actions prove that we’ve won the
election, the battle, and we will eventually win
the war,” he said.
Buhari further urged the party members to
honour the platform through which they won
the elections and gave a background of how he
contested his present position and lost three
times.
”Whoever wants to run for elected office as a
Nigerian must have a platform and that
platform is the political parties hence the
superiority of the party because that is our
platform,” the president said.
He told the story of the party from the
beginning when other parties came together to
form APC, how INEC rejected their initial
merger, how the first convention was planned
and who was instrumental at the initial stage.
”I am going through all these (stories) because
not all of us here participated in this and for
you to reflect and thank the leadership of the
party at various stages for going through all
these which wasn’t easy.
”But God in his infinite mercy has paid us by
giving us success, let us not throw this success
to the wind.
“ Let us as members of APC no matter our
personal differences, get together and meet
the mandate given to us by this country.
”This is my personal appeal and, in the name of
God, whatever your personal interest is and
ambition, please keep it close to your heart
and in your pocket.
”Let APC work and let this system work and
let us have a government that will earn the
respect of our constituencies.
”I appeal to you to please continue working
together and please accept the superiority of
the party….because I respect the superiority
of the party,” he said.
The president congratulated the APC
Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for
leading the party to victory and acknowledged
the presence of the president of the Senate
and speaker of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Odigie-Oyegun said it was unfortunate
that the first NEC meeting was convened
hurriedly but congratulated the members on
the landslide victory at the polls.
””The main item on the agenda is the
ratification of aspects of members of the
Board of Trustees,” he said.
He lauded the character of the president and
his deputy, saying APC became easily
believable because of their integrity.
He said that ”(APC) governors have swollen
from 14 to 22 and we are still counting.’’
Buhari arrived at the party secretariat at
11:04 a. m. and left at 12:40 p. m.
The governors of Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Imo,
Bauchi and Lagos states were among
dignitaries at the event.
Others were APC National Working
Committee members, state chairmen, former
governors, senators and zonal leaders. (NAN)

K

SMH

That is only to the extent one is ready to sacrifice his interest for the interest of all.