President Bola Tinubu has met with key segments of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the party unveiled plans to convene an inclusive national convention and congresses in line with its growing membership.
The meeting, held at the State House, Abuja, with the party’s national leadership, sub-national leaders and the APC caucus in the National Assembly, was described as a strategic session to align preparations and ensure synergy among the various arms of government and the party structure.
Speaking after the meeting, the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the meeting with the President was to review the party’s readiness for the forthcoming convention and congresses.
“It was just a brief meeting to review the preparations for the convention and the congresses and the synergy between all arms of government so that we can be on one page; the sub-national, the national, the National Assembly and the party,” Yilwatda said.
The APC party Chairman further disclosed that the party’s leadership also assessed the prevailing political environment and resolved to ensure that the process would be broad-based and inclusive, particularly in view of the influx of new members and governors into the party.
“Same timetable, the same planning activities, but just to study the environment and review our preparation as a party and ensure inclusivity,” he said.
Yilwatda stated that the APC was committed to carrying all stakeholders along as the party continues to expand its membership across the country.
“Both at national and sub-national, I want to carry everybody along with the party. We have new members who have come in, new governors, new members, the party is expanding every day, we are growing beyond bounds. We want to ensure that in the course of this growth nobody is left behind,” he said.
Speaking on the President’s role in the party’s preparations, Yilwatda said President Tinubu was fully supportive, describing his counsel as valuable.
“Excellent. Mr. President, as you know, is a shrewd politician, very experienced, and his advice was remarkable,” he said.
He attributed the party’s growth to President Tinubu’s political experience and leadership.
“The expansion, the growth, is because of his experience and his depth of knowledge in political cycle,” the APC chairman added.
Present at the meeting were the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Abdurahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State; Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin; Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere; Chief Whip of the House, Usman Bello Kumo; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.
The ruling All Progressives Congress recently unveiled a revised schedule for its internal congresses and national convention, outlining a staggered timeline for party activities across the federation.
Under the updated programme, ward-level congresses are slated for February 18, followed by local government congresses on February 20. State congresses are set for March 7, with zonal congresses scheduled for March 21, while the party’s national convention is billed for March 27 and 28 this year.
Party leaders are expected to step up nationwide consultations ahead of the exercises, as the APC moves to strengthen internal cohesion and integrate its expanding membership.