The National Organising Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Emmanuel Ibediro, says that widely-held fears that the party would collapse after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure were unfounded.
He noted that Buhari has always emphasised the importance of building strong institutions rather than strong personalities, stressing that APC has committed to the former and therefore would not have problems in 2023 or beyond.
Ibediro disclosed this in an interview published by Sunday Sun.
The party chieftain said, “I am very aware that President Buhari has urged party members to ensure that the party remains alive even after his tenure in office and I believe that all members of the party are strongly working towards that.
“There is no doubt that he has serious influence on the party considering the kind of person he is. His character, integrity has also been able to help the party a lot. Having helped the party get this far, I believe that he will also find a way to keep the party alive even after his tenure.
“I don’t think that the end of his tenure will negatively affect the party in any form. The party, on daily basis, has begun to assess and reassess where it has done well and will improve on that aspect.
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“The fears in many quarters about the party crumbling after Buhari’s tenure is just part of human nature and the way we have found ourselves in Nigeria. People tend to believe the worst of every situation. We can only capitalise on his current influence to improve the party in future.
“The problem we have in Africa politics and especially from people thinking that there is no other father figure in the APC outside President Buhari is the mistake of building an institution around an individual.
“Mr. President has also suggested that we diffuse individual strength and concentrate more on building strong institutions instead of strong individuals.
“I believe that the earlier all of us in this country de-emphasise strong individuals against strong institution the better for all of us.
“The president having realised this has insisted that we do things constitutionally for a better party and country. Granted that he is a father figure, but he is not imposing that father figure on anybody.
“Come 2023, the APC will as usual bank on institution not on any individual and it has always been so even before now. Party constitution has always been the number one reference point of our activities.”