The North-East Zonal Consultative Forum of the All Progressives Congress, APC, says it is standing strong to reunite all aggrieved members of the party in the zone.
Speaking with journalists in Gombe during the Third Quarter Meeting of the executive members of the forum, the Chairman, Dr. Ahmed Saleh, said the forum poised to carry out the assignment of bringing together, those who felt they were not treated well within the party, for the purpose of reuniting and reconciling them.
Dr. Saleh also said the forum was the mouthpiece in the zone to ensure stability in the party, as well as a voice for the unity of Nigeria.
“We must unite this country, Nigeria is indivisible, Nigeria is united, we are the bedrock of the APC from day one and I am trying to tell you without any contradictions, that we are standing as the mouthpiece in the zone in terms of the political misfortune when the need arises. We are the last group standing to ensure that we seal the anomaly that is being experienced within the party,” said Dr. Saleh.
He said specifically, the forum was out to sensitise and re-unite the workforce within the party.
Dr. Saleh said the forum was reassuring Nigerian electorates in the Northeast, of the growing strength of the party, describing the forum as a shock absorber to all party members in the zone, saying “the forum is poised to bridge the gaps created over time due to communication shortfall within the political electioneering.”
He said the primary concern of this forum for the Northeast, was how the party lost two more states to the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, during the 2019 election when it started with five out of the six states in the region after the 2015 election.
Dr. Saleh said this reality was being assessed to bridge the gaps created.
“APC started off with 5 out of the six states in the zone, but the gaps created led to the taking over of two more states by the opposition PDP, making them run at par. The question is what went wrong that the APC lost to the opposition and today we are talking about three-three states each in the zone,” Dr. Saleh said.
According to him, the party inherited a barrage of challenges since coming into power in 2015, but that the Northeast had provided the country with some of its best brains to salvage the country.
“If you look at it in another end, we pose a good position in a salvation moment, for example, at the critical moment, when the party was in shambles, in crisis, it was only the son of the Northeast that was the saviour. Like Mai Mala Buni, is the Governor of Yobe State. When the party was in crisis, with issues on the ground, the party had to call a brain from the Northeast to come and salvage the situation. When the engine room of the government was shaking, they needed a brain to stabilise it, the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, came in. When the security of the country was threatened beyond control, they needed a brain from the Northeast, which is General Monguno came in. When the National Assembly was in serious turmoil, nobody could stabilise it except a brain from the Northeast, which is Dr. Ahmed Lawan,” Dr. Saleh said.
He commended President Muhammad Buhari for his robust leadership drive for the Northeast, citing some of his interventions in the Northeast, such as the establishment of the Northeast Development Commission and the multibillion-dollar Hydro-Mambila Dam, among others.
“For the first time in history, we have an agency of our own, which is kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari,” Dr. Saleh said.
While thanking Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for the reception accorded the forum, it commended him for his determination, seriousness and a focused APC governor in the zone, with proof of a leader with a vision.
Dr. Saleh said Gombe State was chosen for the forum, because of its strategic location in the centre of the zone, for easy communication and because of its peace and stability.
He equally commended the governor for his leadership drive for the state and the members of the state assembly for cooperating with the governor, which has led to the level of stability, focus, to attain what is now regarded as a modern metro city of Nigeria.
