President Muhammadu Buhari has called on leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to drop their differences and influences for the sake of the country.
Speaking at the New Banquet Hall of the State House yesterday while breaking Ramadan fast with party leaders, Buhari said the APC had to deliver on its campaign promises of tackling corruption, insecurity and unemployment.
“I always like to go down memory lane to show how lucky we’re as a political group. At no stage was the decision taken by chance it was all deliberate. The leaders of the parties felt the only way to wrest power from the PDP was for us to come together.
“I in particular was scared after previous failures of the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011. We dissolved our various parties to form APC, then we applied to INEC. For once, I was grateful to INEC. We had gone with nine people to INEC to apply and INEC advised us that we needed at least 25 people across the people to form a political party.
“We were able to go back to raise 35 members across the country and then successfully registered the party. INEC then informed the federal government that we have met the requirements hence we cannot be denied registration. Many doubting Thomases said merger has never succeeded in Nigeria but here we are.
“I went into this long explanation so that you will appreciate how far we have come and for a society as ours, if we respect the constitution, then all the greed and problems will be a thing of the fast. We should just look at Nigeria as Nigerians, no matter the level you are, drop your influence so that we can help achieve the manifestos – security, economy, employment and corruption because if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We have to ensure that people we bring forward are those that will move the society forward”.
A leader of the APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu later told State House journalists that he had no axe to grind with Buhari.
Insisting that the party is supreme and must be respected, Tinubu restated his loyalty to Buhari. He said: “I believe in what President believes, I respect him and I stand firmly loyal to his cause so you might go to any length of speculations that you want, I have not responded to any of that, I understand the President and the president understands me clearly”.
On whether he made any demand on the party regarding the crisis in the National Assembly, Tinubu said: “I have no demand on the party, if you understand what party politics is all about, what leadership is all about, it is about loyalty and commitment to the values that leadership believes in. I am backing what the President has carefully enumerated and articulated to the party.
“In every political environment, you expect conflict, that is politics and conflict resolution mechanism will be applied to resolve all problems, there is honour in every struggle, in every competition, there must be honour in victory too”.
Earlier at the event, Tinubu had tackled the Peoples Democratic Party for accusing Buhari of slow pace, saying the government could clean the 16-years rot of the PDP in 30 days.
He said the APC is an armoured personnel carrier representing the diversity of Nigeria.
Tinubu said: “We believe this diversity will continue to propel us for economic growth under your leadership. This is the first Ramadan after the election, we thank God for cutting down the opponents 60 years of fake promises to 16 years. I heard they say we are slow. Yes, we didn’t campaign to be fire fighters, but planners and meticulous one at that. A latrine pit of 16 years can’t be cleaned up in 30 days because the mess is much. Mr. President you started well, you hit the ground running. You promised Nigerians that you’ll address security and your first meeting to ECOWAS was on security because we cannot fight alone.
“We have faith in you Mr. President, we have faith in your capacity and uprightness. I’m here filled up and not fed up,” he said.
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