President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja advised members of the
governing party, All Progressives Congress (APC), to withdraw all
pending litigations against one another, and settle for internal
conciliation, warning that the mutating disagreements could lead to
self-destruction, with dire consequences.
President Buhari, in his remarks at the emergency meeting of the
National Executive Committee of the APC, held on a virtual platform,
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
we 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.