Umahi’s Defection, Others Have Confirmed APC Is Making Progress, Says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to collectively work towards the sustenance of peace and promotion of more understanding within the party, with a view to consolidating on earlier successes and winning new members.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at a virtual emergency National Executive Council Meeting of the APC at the State House in Abuja.

The President noted that the decision of the party’s leadership to dissolve the National Working Committee and constitute a 13-member Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee on June 25 was well conceived as party members now enjoy a new atmosphere of peace.

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“Healthy debates are now taking place and the potential for organs of the party to affirm majority positions as the decision of the party is now possible.

“What is required now is for all of us, as leaders of the party, to maintain discipline and ensure that this new momentum is protected, sustained and that decisions of party organs are respected by every member,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by his media adviser, Femi Adesina.

President Buhari added, “Despite the challenge to restore peace in the party and the series of elections at hand, the fact that we have gained more members and that we are not losing members to the opposition under the present interim leadership indicates an improvement for the party.

“In fact, we have begun to win back our members who left us, and other notable political leaders are being attracted to our party. In this regard, I hereby acknowledge the return of many party stalwarts and their supporters, and particularly, His Excellency, David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State.

“This confirms that we are indeed making progress as a party of choice for Nigerians as we move towards the resolution of our leadership challenges.”

A Developed Nigeria

The President informed the meeting that the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, had presented a progress report which should guide deliberations and strengthen the capacity of party leaders towards resolving all outstanding issues.

He stressed the importance for them to remind themselves about the challenges that led to the decision to set up the caretaker committee, with the specific mandate of restoring peace in the party, conducting a bottom-up membership registration, organising a national convention, and mobilising the party for coming elections.

President Buhari said he was convinced that in the last five months since the appointment of the caretaker committee, the initiatives taken have brought a remarkably new atmosphere of hope in the APC.

He, therefore, appealed to all members to make the required sacrifices that would collectively restore a progressive and democratic political party that can nurture and give expression to the dream of building a strong, united, and developed Nigeria.

In his remarks, Governor Buni stated that the reconciliation effort in the party had yielded positive results, with many old members returning and new members being recorded, most recently the Ebonyi State governor.

He added that following the President’s instructions, almost all pending cases in courts instituted by APC members had been withdrawn to create a “neutral ground’’ for discussions, while a timetable for membership registration and revalidation exercise would be released after initial sensitisation.

“Many Nigerians have turned 18 and they will be interested in joining our party,” the governor said.