An All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant, Saliu Mustapha who is also the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate says he will work to ensure a party that promotes equity if elected. He also added that he would work towards reconciling factions in the party.
The development comes days after Atiku Bagudu, chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), said President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed February 2022 for the APC national convention.
The convention serves as the platform through which the chairman of the party will be elected.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Mustapha, who was once a deputy national chairman of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), said he has what it takes to move the party to a new level.
“I have been endorsed by every well-meaning stakeholder; that is why I am motivated in this race,” he said.
“As a former deputy national chairman of CPC, I led CPC to the merger. So, nobody is older than me in Kwara APC. They all met me in the party.”
According to him, he has retained that neutrality and he’s hoping that given the opportunity to be chairman of the party, he will embark on reconciling the factions in the party stressing that the party needs all hands on deck.
The Turaki of Ilorin explained further that being a key player in how the merger came about, he decided to step into the arena for the post of APC national chairman.
He added that he has gathered enough experience and enough goodwill and that he wants to see a party where there is fairness, equity and justice, not a party where there is imposition.
Mustapha also said he is not intimated by positions held by other aspirants, adding that ideology should be the dominant factor in choosing a chairman for the APC.
He declared that he is not intimidated by titles; but bow to superior argument. “It is ideas that rule. I will be looking forward to working with all these fellow aspirants who I believe are major stakeholders,” he said.
The National Chairmanship aspirant disclosed that “Our challenges are not what can tear the party apart. We have been able to manage our challenges and that is why people are begging to join us.”
Suzan O.
