President Muhammadu Buhari have met with Governors of the All Progressive Congress governors in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
At the meeting, Buhari urged Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress to ensure that the chosen presidential candidate at next week’s primary elections must be someone who would give Nigerians “a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
He also urged them to ensure that the process reflected all the values and virtues of the party.
According to a statement signed on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said this at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, where he met the 22 Governors and the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The statement is titled ‘‘We must show positive qualities of APC at our convention, president Buhari charges progressive governors.’’
The President appealed to all the Governors “to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens, and the global community.
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
According to him, globally, the most successful political parties have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes.
“Our party, the APC, shall not be any different, more so as we are still implementing the blueprint for a more prosperous nation. As I begin the final year of my second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the party, I recognize the compelling need for me to provide stronger leadership to the party under this transition process and ensure that it happens in an orderly manner.
“Such leadership is required so that the party remains strong and united. It is also needed to improve our electoral fortunes by ensuring that it retains power at the center, holds the great majority in various legislative chambers, and gains an additional number of states.
“In a few days, the party will be holding its Convention, during which primaries would take place to pick the Presidential Flag Bearer for the 2023 General Elections. This is a very significant process, and its outcome should prove to the world, the positive quality of the APC regarding democratic principles, culture as well as leadership,” he said.
President Buhari assured the governors that the consultation process would continue to ensure that all aspirants and stakeholders would be brought on board right through to the Convention, stressing that it would also ensure that any anxiety occasioned by different factors is effectively brought under control, “and that our party emerges stronger.”
The meeting which was held at the Council Chambers of the State House had in attendance the National Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Adamu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff of the President, Ibrahim Gambari.
All members of the Progressive Governors Forum are in attendance except Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna who is being represented by his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe.
Speaking on behalf of the elder statesmen, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, said the party must build on the successes of its recent elective Convention and the primaries conducted so far, “and come up with a candidate who will walk in the footsteps of patriotism and love for the country, which Mr President has shown.”
“We will support Mr President to have a very successful convention,” he pledged.
All members of the Progressive Governors Forum are in attendance except Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, who is being represented by his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe.
The meeting also had in attendance the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff of the President, Ibrahim Gambari.
While the governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) were spotted discussing with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, outside the council chambers, the others left immediately after the meeting.
The PUNCH reports that APC, last Friday, had postponed its presidential primary election earlier scheduled for May 29-30 to June 6-8.
This came after the Independent National Electoral Commission shifted the date for submission of the list of candidates by political parties from June 3 to 9, 2022.
PUNCH
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