….. APC defer motion adopting Buhari as sole candidate for 2019 polls
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deferred motion to adopt President Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate for the 2019 general elections.
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, stated this while briefing journalists after the party’s NEC meeting.
Meanwhile, before the meeting, a mild drama played out at the entrance to the party’s secretariat as the presidential guard on duty insisted that the governors must be dropped at the gate, while they walk into the premises.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Yari, was furious that his colleagues were asked to walk into the secretariat, insisting that they be allowed to be driven in, while the cars are taken out later, but the head of the security team disagreed with him, as he said “it will not work that way.”
The re-election and automatic presidential ticket for the president had taken centre stage of the party’s discourse in the last few months and was believed to be part of the agenda for the meeting.
But the NEC meeting refused to take a position on the issue as the Speaker said it was deferred.
Also, on other issues discussed at the meeting, the Speaker said: “The meeting was for stocktaking and to remind ourselves of the covenant we made with the people of Nigeria, review how well we have done and what we need to do
Dogara added: “I can tell you that after a very illuminating address by the party chairman, the president took turn to address the NEC members and he was very clear in his vision about where we are taking Nigeria to and we reminded ourselves about the achievement we have recorded in terms of combating terrorism in the North-East, the fight against corruption, which is one area where we are doing very well and the exiting from recession and the achievement the party has recorded.
“While we can say we have done quite a lot, there is still much to be done. The resolve is that we should rededicate ourselves as a party to the service of our people and the only thing that will guarantee our place in this country is the service we rendered to our people.”
On the convention of the party, Dogara said: “That was part of activities the party is meant to embark upon. There wasn’t a definitive and conclusive date on the party convention because it is something in the works and judging from yesterday’s meeting, I understand that the party will fine-tune this and then there will be another round of meeting where the specifics and details will be approved.”
The speaker said the issues of aggrieved members and constitutional amendment were also discussed.
On the aggrieved members, he said: “I don’t think that you can find any family that is as large as APC family without some squabbles. No such family exists in the whole world and if there are disagreements, they are okay because without disagreements, you cannot even move forward. Progress comes when people refuse to agree with the status quo and they put forward their positions. If their positions are good enough, they are adopted and we move forward.”
On the proposal to amend the party’s constitution, he said: “Obviously, we had that on the agenda and there were other items on the agenda, which just passed as information. The proposal for the review of the constitution is being sent to our emails and it is when we have reviewed this that we will be able to take a binding decision on them. But, as it is now, it was just noted for information.”
Among those that attended the meeting were Governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna).
Others are Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Sani Bello (Niger), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Masari (Katsina) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).
Also in attendance were Senate President Bukola Saraki; the pioneer National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe; FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu.