2023: Avoid Squabbles, Distractions, Buhari Tells APC Leaders, Members

…….Lobbies lawmakers on consensus candidates

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja urged leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to channel their energies into improving fortunes of the party in the forthcoming elections, and avoid squabbling that easily distract and create disharmony.

Receiving APC National Assembly leadership at the State House, the President, in a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, reminded members of the proximity of the election dates set by INEC, admonishing that positions should be harmonized with a bigger picture of winning elections and providing good governance.

“As you all know, the National Convention of our party, which we have committed to, is holding on the 26th March, 2022. And we cannot afford to do anything that will jeopardize the chances of the party in the 2023 General Elections. The limited time frame of the INEC time table does not permit us any room for delay or further squabbling. We must therefore in the light of this reality consistently keep our eyes on the ball and refuse any distraction.

“A critical segment of our national democratic process is the National Assembly. Being representatives of our people from all over the country, the National Assembly especially the 9th Assembly has exhibited commitment to a peaceful democratic process in its conduct and utmost maturity in its relationship with other arms of government. I commend you, the leadership for this success.

“Distinguished Senators and Honorable Members, we have an obligation to conduct the upcoming convention in a manner that not only fortifies the unity of our party but also improves the prospects of our electoral fortunes in the 2023 general elections. You have an important role to play in ensuring that this happens,’’ he said.

President Buhari told the lawmakers that a zoning template was produced and adopted by the party after wide consultations in order to ensure that the leadership was reflective of the diversity in unity while representing various dynamic interests.

“It is imperative that we adhere to that template,’’ he noted, adding:

“The time available to us is limited and I therefore enjoin you to collaborate with the various stakeholders within and outside your respective states and zones to agree to work together and harmoniously in electing into the allotted positions appropriately, as stipulated in the provided template. This will not only produce a smooth process and limit friction but will enhance the image of the party positively and strengthen our over-all position of dominance in the political space.’’

The President said he met with the governors and the party national chairmanship aspirants yesterday, Wednesday, to reiterate the need to go into the convention with a united front.

“It is the same reason why I invited you today,’’ he said, “We should all do our part to ensure the success of this convention. This will fortify us for the campaigns ahead of us.’’

The APC lawmakers were led to the meeting by the Senate President, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting , Senate President Ahmed Lawan, said the meeting of the Principal Officers of the Assembly which was at the instance of President Buhari, is to ensure a rancour free convention as well as remain focused in delivering development projects to the people.

He explained that the President emphasized the need for party members to be united ahead of the exercise, adding that it was a very important convention for the party.

He said “This is not what we’re used to in the legislature. But now that we are confronted with this question of what we discussed with Mr. President. Mr. President, our leader of the party, the All Progressives, Congress in the country, and beyond, invited the principal officers of the APC to hold today’s meeting with us.

“Mr. President, emphasized the need for us, in the APC to be united, always act as a family, to ensure that we remain focused. We have the leadership of Nigeria today at the national level and of course, we have many states, about 22 states, under the leadership of the APC.

We have 22 states and then control of the federal government that requires that APC as a political party remains very focus, energetic, and purposeful, as it has always been, and ensure that we maintain the trajectory of development for our country. Because that is trust Nigerians gave us in 2015 and renewed that, in 2019.

“Mr. President also emphasized the need for us to ensure that we have a successful convention on the 26th of this month, March. This convention, by way of emphasis is a very important convention for us in the APC, and by the grace of God, through our processes and procedures, at different levels of the party, the convention would be a very successful one and very peaceful one.

“We hope that would have achieved so much consensus in selecting and electing the officers for this party so that when we go into the convention, most of the officers would be for affirmation or confirmation.”

Lawan also spoke about the achievements of the Nineth National Assembly that is also dominated by the APC.

He said: “It is very important to also emphasize here, that the nineth National Assembly has been a very stable National Assembly, it has been a very productive National Assembly. And we have remained very united in the two chambers, as APC senators and members of the House of Representatives. And we have remained in very good partnership with our other political friends who are in different political parties.

We have the PDP, and of course, APGA in the Senate, and I believe that they might have even more minority parties in the House of Representatives.

“But our colleagues, in the PDP, for example, have worked with us to ensure that the national interest is always supreme in our consideration. And we thank God that today, by the grace of God, the ninth National Assembly, has done so much in the area of legislation. We have achieved so many firsts in the area of legislation and broke so many jinxes, passed legislations that defied passage. And by the grace of God, Mr. President, has assented to almost all those bills, all those legislations that matter for the development of this country.

“Finally, I want to say that this meeting with Mr. President has given us more energy. We believe that there is a father, at least in our party, there is a president who will ensure that once there disagreements he is able to call everybody to order and ensure that the family continues to remain united and that is what we have been able to achieve over the years.

“Well, I don’t want to be very partisan. But of course, when you have a father in the family and a mother, then you’re likely to have a stable family. And when you have only one or none in the family, you are not likely to be successful, the family is likely to be disunited, and that is what other political parties probably are facing.

“And I want to add here, finally, to say that we are committed to ensuring that this political party does not only have a successful convention, but a very successful, peaceful and safe electioneering campaigns during 2022/2023 general campaigns and the general elections, by the grace of God, we’ll see Nigerians voting once again, for APC, because we have so far done so much in the areas that matter for the people of this country.

But that is not to say that we are not facing some challenges we are, but we are squaring up to ensure that we deal with those challenges.”

The Speaker of the Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, described the meeting as a productive one, saying the whole idea is to encourage all stakeholders to unite and have a peaceful and very successful convention.

According to him “this meeting was a productive one. As many of you are aware of the President in the last couple of days his been having meetings with stakeholders towards the convention that is coming up on Saturday. And the whole idea is to encourage all stakeholders to unite, have a common front, and have a peaceful rancour free and successful convention. That’s what that meeting was about the long and short of it, and to make sure everybody’s on the same page, in terms of being united in terms of candidates.

And we all know that in conventions such as this, where you have almost 5000, delegates, and many more. You have to be well organized. You have to be freed up to be fair to everybody. And that’s what he charged obviously, like any leader would.

“We have a couple more days, people are coming in from all the states of the Federation. Abuja is gonna be a agog with activities, with excitement, with electricity. And in all of that, pomp and pageantry, we must make sure that what we come out of on Sunday morning, so to speak, is a happy to united party. That’s what this meeting was about. And we already, we are charge, we’re ready to go.”

Asked if the party has arrived at consensus for the position of the chairman of APC and what would happen to those who spent their money to buy the forms, Lawan said they were not in the position to answer.

He said: “Well, I think that question shouldn’t be put to us because we’re not the party. But because you asked and we are in your territory we’ll make some effort to say something to it.

“The essence of this engagements is for the party to achieve consensus, and consensus is a process. It doesn’t just happen like that. So I believe that before we go into the convention square on Saturday, by the grace of God, we would have a lot of consensus reached and maybe the sort of document that we call or refer to as unity list, that is bringing all the agreed positions where consensus have been achieved in the various sections or geopolitical zones of the country.

“Only yesterday (Wednesday) we had a meeting of the Northeast, and we have achieved consensus, and other zones are either about to conclude or will conclude before the end of tomorrow, Friday. But by Saturday, I think the answers will all be there for everybody to see.

“So on the issue of why allow other people to buy forms. I think democracy does not prevent anybody from buying forms, what democracy does is to provide opportunity for everyone having some guiding principles. If a position is zoned until a consensus is reached, everybody who thinks he or she has something to offer can go and buy the form and also throw his or her hat into the ring.”

Some of the principal officers in the delegation from the Senate were, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroffice Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu, Deputy Chief Whip, Sabi Abdullahi

For the House of Representatives

Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, Alhassan Ado Dogowa – Majority Leader, Mohammed Tahir Monguno- Chief Whip, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha Deputy Chief Whip among others.