President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the warring parties in the crises rocking the Imo State chapter of the ruling All Progrssives Congress (APC) to bury the hatchet and work for the victory of the party at all levels in the 2019 general elections.
The governor of Kano state and chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, reconciliation team, Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, conveyed the president’s message while meeting with the Senator Hope Uzodinma faction of the party,
This is coming after the reconciliation committee, met with governor Rochas Okorocha and his supporters on Thursday.
Ganduje said that after listening to the members of the two groups that the committee will be interfacing with the leaders of the various groups to hear directly from them.
According to him, “We are here for dialogue. We are here for peace. We are worried. But we are concerned and determined.
“We were with the governor and his people and his talking of Mr President and also it is good that you people are talking of President Buhari. We are here to see that those who are aggrieved are brought back to the party.
“After this meeting, we are going to meet with all the aspirants, of both sides. This is just to meet with members of APC. The main meeting will be with the aspirants in the night.
“There could be some aggrieved members of House of Representatives, Senators and other members. But we are saying that we are pleading to all the members of APC, to close ranks and win the election.
“We are here to see you people so that we can discuss heart to heart and put the pieces together. All hope is not lost. Election is coming and you have to unite and make adequate arrangements for the election. Because the President is worried. He directed us to come for reconciliation. He wants all of you to be united.
“I am happy that all of you are for Buhari. You look determined. You must do alot of planning. You must sit down locally and win the election.”
Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, who joined the committee on Friday said: “You have heard from the chairman and Senator Akpabio, my own is going to be an addendum. You are not going to have an isolated election.
“This is going to be a general election unlike the Ekiti state, so Imo people will face their election. Nobody is coming to help you. I had 32 contestants against me. None of them left the party.
“I want to advice us that the task ahead is a collective effort. We must do everything constitutional and legal to retain Imo state.
“I have not come across in the world nobody who is not interested in who succeeds him. What we want is that the process must be transparent. What we don’t want is to hand over the state to the opposition, ” he added.