The decision taken by President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC to hold the party’s National Convention in February requires no further consultations.
This was the opinion of the Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, PGF, Mr. Salihu Lukman in a press statement released to journalists in Abuja.
He was reacting to a statement by the APC’s National Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe who said the Committee was making consultations to prepare the ground for a smooth National Convention.
The PGF DG however described the Caretaker statement as a delay tactic not to hold the Convention in February.
He further stated that following the decision that led to the selection of the month of February, any move contrary to the decision amounts to disrespect of the Party leaders who made the decision.
“Somehow, it is difficult not to conclude that the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC is intentionally promoting speculations around the APC National Convention by claiming to embark on ‘consultations with party stakeholders to prepare the ground for a rancour-free National Convention, “ Mr Lukman said.
Recall that on November 22, 2021, the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Abubakar Bagudu led a delegation, which include the CECPC Chairman, His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni, to President Muhammadu Buhari to finalise consultations on the date of the Convention.
Immediately after the meeting with President Buhari, Bagudu announced the agreement reached with President Buhari to the effect that the Convention will hold in February 2022.
“With such an agreement, the responsibility of the CECPC is to go ahead and start organising the Convention. With almost two months after, the CECPC has not issued any notice of the Convention to anyone. Not even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which by the provision of the Electoral Act as amended is required to be given at least 21 days’ notice. It is very difficult not to conclude that both the Chairman and all members of the CECPC have no respect for President Buhari, which is responsible for why they are doing everything possible to sabotage decisions validly taken to hold the APC National Convention in February after consultation with the President” Lukman said.
He added that the APC Governors (Progressives Governors Forum) will not associate themselves with any act of disrespect to decisions validly taken in consultations with President Buhari or take responsibility for actions or inactions of the Caretaker Committee.
The PGF DG emphasised the need for the party to elect competent leadership rather than base leadership selection on loyalty or permutations for the 2023 General Election.
“At this point, we must appeal to all APC leaders to take the issue of leadership recruitment beyond the question of loyalty. Given that already, 2023 electoral atmosphere is gradually setting, the temptation that choices of leaders of the party will be based on permutation for 2023 will be very significant. Once that is the case, the probability will be high that the soul of APC will be sacrificed in the process of assembling new leaders. Party leaders need to adopt some minimum guiding principles to determine the qualification of potential party leaders especially the National Chairman. Some of the recommendations include:
“Any potential candidate must have good relations will party leaders at national level, especially President Buhari.
“The candidate must also have good relations with all party leaders in his/her state, including the Governor, where there is an APC government.
“It should be a strong advantage when the aspiring person has played any role during the merger negotiation that produced APC and has been consistent in the party since 2013. This means such a parson would have the needed institutional memory to recognise and respect sacrifices made by party leaders and members to make the merger that produce the APC successful.
“It should be a strong disadvantage when any aspiring candidate has records of defection from the party or any of the legacy parties that merged to form the APC.
“Finally, public service experience will not only be an advantage but a measure of determining the democratic credentials of the candidate. Any candidate with public service experience at whatever level without incontestable records of achievements, such a person can not inspire any party member and by extension Nigerians into believing that his/her leadership can bring any good electoral fortune for the party” the PGF DG said.
He said the APC needs a National Chairman who has a good relationship with party leaders across board.
“APC need a National Chairman who is humble, with very good relations and respect among both party leaders and members. Any new National Chairman of APC who can lead the party to electoral victory in 2023 must not be a surrogate to any aspirant for 2023 Presidential contest. Similarly, such a person must be ready to control other members of the NWC from demonstrating bias in favour of any candidate for 2023 Presidential contest within the party. Being a humble National Chairman, such a person must be ready to subordinate himself/herself to party leaders at local levels.
“Beyond the National Chairman, APC leaders must also take every necessary step to elect very competent Deputy National Chairmen (North and South). It is important that the two Deputy National Chairmen to be elected are people with integrity. In addition to Deputy National Chairmen, positions of National Secretary, National Legal Adviser, National Organising Secretary and National Publicity Secretary must be head hunted. Individuals with good records of public service, very competent and committed to the party should be identified based on which the positions are zoned to states where they come from” Lukman said.
He further stated that blind zoning will not provide competent leaders that would lead the APC to victory in 2023.
Confidence Okwuchi
