The National Chairman of the Caretaker\/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, has carpeted insinuations\u00a0 that he was desirous of contesting the chairmanship position of the party at the National Convention come\u00a0 February 26.<\/p>\n
The governing party, through the Secretary of the CECPC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe also debunked the speculations describing it as untrue.<\/p>\n
Buni\u2019s clarification came as the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has commended the Buni-led CECPC for embracing direct primary for Ekiti State governorship election, saying this would help in dousing the tension and return calmness after the internal poll.<\/p>\n
There were strong speculations that Buni was scheming to contest the chairmanship position of the party, following an alleged plot to throw the position open to all geopolitical zones in the North.<\/p>\n
But Buni\u2019s Director-General, Press and Media Affairs, Mr Mamman Muhammed, said in a statement yesterday that the governor had not discussed with anyone that he would contest any position.<\/p>\n
He stated: \u201cGovernor Buni is not scheming for any position. As you know, he is a serving governor, the Executive Governor of Yobe State and comfortably piloting the affairs of the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is just the chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party. As you said, there are so many rumours.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut l want to assure you that Governor Buni has not discussed with anyone that he is contesting any position.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has neither confided in nor asked someone to work for him for the aspiration of any office. That he is scheming or lobbying or aspiring for the party\u2019s office is false, unfounded and baseless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also, the Secretary of the committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe described the report as untrue.<\/p>\n
He said the media is trying to create content that has been misleading Nigeria and keep saying things that are not true.<\/p>\n
Akpanudoedehe said: \u201cYou wanted a convention; we have set a date for our convention; you are coming with another story. That I simply say that it is not true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Ojudu, has saluted the national secretariat of the ruling party for embracing direct primary for Ekiti governorship primary, saying this will help in dousing the tension and return calmness after the internal poll.<\/p>\n
He, however, advised the Buni-led National Caretaker executive of the APC to conduct a free, fair and credible primary that can produce a formidable candidate for the June 18 governorship election in the state.<\/p>\n
The presidential aide said this in Ado Ekiti yesterday during an interaction with journalists on the January 27 APC primary to elect its flagbearer.<\/p>\n
He averred that the only way the APC can be proud of itself as a ruling party and win the June 18 election with ease, is to conduct a credible primary that is devoid of violence, venom and bloodshed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to appeal to party men to be civil and peaceful. The only glory we can record in our party is to be peaceful and for our leaders from Abuja to conduct a primary we can all be proud of. Don\u2019t let us be violent just because of the internal election.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrimary of any party should be a day of celebration of democracy and not a day of bloodshed. We should be able to do this election without rancour. I am of that belief that politicians, who want to use money to hire thugs to win the election should rather use such money for the development of our unemployed youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur party officials should be fair and transparent. They should also be efficient with the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI commend Governor Buni-led executive for allowing direct primary for this election, so that every member of the party, either rich or poor, high or low can participate. This will enable us to produce a candidate that can face the candidates of other parties.<\/p>\n
“If by any means we impose someone or throw up someone who used money to induce the people, or relying on federal might, we will have a candidate that cannot win or that wouldn\u2019t be acceptable to the party people.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me clarify that this government of President Buhari doesn\u2019t believe in using federal might to win elections, you have to go through the people to get votes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ojudu warned party members to resist vote buying temptation for APC to have a credible and formidable candidate that will be acceptable to all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aspirants shouldn\u2019t bring thugs to bash and beat the people. Whoever is causing trouble should be exposed, because Ekiti must be in peace. All of us in APC must be able to come together and work to win in June. This is one election that we can\u2019t afford to lose\u201d.<\/p>\n
The presidential aide told the security agencies to maintain neutrality and owe their allegiance to the constitution of the party, rather than individuals.<\/p>\n
On the aspirant he is backing in APC for the primary, Ojudu said: \u201cFor now, I am not in support of anybody. I want to remain neutral so that I will be able to call all aspirants together and settle their differences after the primary.<\/p>\n
\u201cLosing an election is hurting, so we need an arbiter to be able to hold the party together and that is the role I intend to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresident Buhari lost election three times. Nobody thought he would ever be president again, but when the time God assigned to him came, he won and it was glorious for him. There is no point in bringing guns to win elections.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The National Chairman of the Caretaker\/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, has carpeted insinuations\u00a0 that he was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":83452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n