The All Progressives Congress
(APC) National Peace and Reconciliation Committee, on Monday urged aggrieved
aspirants of the party to learn from how the Governor of Lagos State, Mr.
Akinwumi Ambode, who took the outcome of governorship primary in his state with
equanimity.
The Chairman of the Peace and
Reconciliation Committee in Southwest and Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim
Shettima and the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Ahmed Nasir El-Rufai, called on
the aspirants to put the interest of the party at heart and embrace the peace
initiative of the party.
Other members of the committee
including the Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof
Modupe Adelabu and Hajia Seida Usman-Bugaje, said there was need for people to
eschew crisis and work for the party’s unity ahead of 2019.
Speaking while interfacing with
the aggrieved aspirants in Ondo and Ekiti, Shettima said the way Ambode handled
the outcome of the primary in Lagos had made him a darling of many Nigerian
statesmen, urging the aspirants to view life from that perspective.
“From 1999 to date, Governor
Ambode, who is also a member of this committee, I don’t think any Nigerian
politician has demonstrated his level of courage in the way he handled the
governorship primaries in Lagos.
“He is a governor who has worked
exceptionally, but as I said politics sometimes comes with unpredictable
outcomes. Our courage in reacting to situations like Governor Ambode has
withstood is what separates men from boys.
“I think anyone unhappy with the
outcome of the APC primaries should draw inspiration from Governor Ambode”, he
advised.
Shettima said the fact that the
national working committee set up the committee confirmed that the party
appreciates the fact that all members are given due recognition.
He said it could have been
disastrous for APC to allow the crisis to fester by not taking time to persuade
the aggrieved members, saying the aspirants should cooperate with the committee
to be able to proffer lasting solution to all the disagreements.
“Nigeria currently has about
120,000 polling units and for President Muhammadu Buhari to win, he needs votes
from all these units relying on party members to garner to be able to get
votes. And in most cases, these are people the president may or may never know.
“We are here to listen to you, we
didn’t come here with a mindset. But we are pleading that you to join hands
with us to resolve all these crises.
“Even our own leader, Asiwaju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the first victim of party’s compromises. When the Vice
Presidential candidate to President Buhari, he had to painfully compromise his
interest for over all interest of the party,” he said.
Governor el-Rufai, on his part,
expressed joy that the crisis in Ekiti was not as huge and convoluted like Ondo
State, expressing fear that the party risks the chance of losing Ondo State if
unity is discarded by party members.
“If we win at the State and
federal levels, we stand the chance of accommodating everybody but when we
lose, then the party will be a greatest loser.
“In Kaduna State, I had issue
with APC but I never had the intention of leaving the party. I stayed in the
party and fought until justice prevailed. So, we stand to gain nothing if we
continue to fight on. We must listen to ourselves and find solution to all
these crises together,” he said.
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