Buhari: APC back to life after crisis

President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has bounced back to life after the crisis that engulfed the party.

Buhari said this at the meeting of the APC National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) at the State House, Abuja.

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The President, who said the APC had been revived, energised and repositioned for its national convention and future elections, commended the CECPC, led by Governor of Yobe State, Malam Mai Mala Buni.

Buhari said the fortunes of the party had been brightened by the re-organisation and reconciliation of members across the nation.

President Buhari said: “We are all living witnesses to the crisis that engulfed our great party, leading to multiple litigations and series of defections from the party, which, unfortunately, presented a picture of selfishness and division.

“At some point, members doubted how you are going to face the country in a general election with such a mindless behaviour.

“It is gratifying to note that with the coming of the CECPC and its effective management of the affairs of the party and the pursuit of its mandate, the party has bounced back to life and the National Secretariat of our party has once again become a beehive of activities, as it used to be in the good old days before the crisis.

“You must remember that we all want to live behind a legacy of transparency, fairness and adherence to the democratic principles, which the party and the country need to survive and prosper.”

Promises

Buhari said the party structure was disturbed by the conflicts that preceded and followed various elections.

The President told members of the committee that they would continue to enjoy the support of all party stalwarts and members to complete their assignment with the actualisation of the convention and leave an “indelible footprint”.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the CECPC said the committee approached the duty with commitment and dedication to rescue the party from imminent collapse.

The Yobe State Governor noted that all issues and members were given a fair hearing, and an open-door policy was created to accommodate all those who were aggrieved, leading to the withdrawal of cases in court and peaceful settlements.

“We are currently witnessing high-powered decamping to our party, including governors from the PDP.

“The party is now more peaceful, orderly and accommodating than what we met on the ground.

“Although there was initial fear, the mobilisation and sensitization were able to allay the fears of members,” Buni said.

Over 40million register 

The governor said the registration and revalidation of members across the country recorded more than 40 million members, and an appeal committee was also set up to hear all matters related to the process so that no member gets disenfranchised.

“We have observed that youth and women constitute the huge population of the voting group.

“We had a youth and women committee, and also people with disability,” he added.

He said a Contact and Strategy Team had been set up in every state to come up with an acceptable template that would ensure transparency, credibility and acceptability of the internal electoral processes.