Ahead of the 2023 general election, a group of concerned stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) said urgent steps must be taken to reverse the imminent descent of the party into possible extinction.
The group asserted that APC has deviated from the ideal political party the founding fathers envisioned during its formation in 2013, saying it was time for the party to rebirth and reinvent itself as a true, progressive and reform-minded political party that is constantly evolving in accordance with its philosophical objectives and the yearnings of the majority of its members.
APC Concerned stakeholders led by Abubakar Usman made their feelings known at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, alleging that some powerful individuals in the party that have engaged in the habit of micromanaging almost everything that went on in the APC just as in the erstwhile ruling party.
They alleged that as part of activities leading to APC National Convention, the party has held Ward and Local Government Congresses in a very undemocratic way, clearly imposing leadership on members at the grassroots in the guise of the so called ‘consensus’ candidate.
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“We may have missed the opportunity to right these wrongs at the two levels where congresses already held, but the forthcoming national convention presents a perfect opportunity that we must take advantage of. Consequently, these Concerned Stakeholders demand that open contestation must be the only option for every position in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, rather than the imposition of anointed candidates in the name of consensus as was the case with the party’s recent Wards and Local Government congresses.
“We demand that the set of leaders that will emerge from the forthcoming national convention must be those who do not only have what it takes to give a new life to the APC in the interest of all members, they must be people with unquestionable characters and proven records of progressiveness. Therefore, stringent conditions must be given as criteria qualifying anyone to hold a national office in the All Progressives Congress. The question of the many ex-this and ex-that having to run the affairs of the party despite their glaring failures in previous responsibilities must not be entertained.
“We equally charge the party’s Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) with ensuring that the National Convention’s date, guidelines, and other arrangements are made public prior to the state Congress slated for October 16th, 2021. This will not only dispel the widely held believe that the Buni-led committee is playing out a script with its continuous stay in office; it will ensure proper and adequate planning for the convention.
“Conducting this national convention and handing over to a duly elected and constituted National Working Committee is even more germane at this point in time that many legal challenges have been mounted against the Caretaker Committee in the court of law”, the group stated.
Responding to the allegations, APC National Caretaker Committee, John Akpanudoudehe, said people have aspirations and if they fail, they are bound to form association, assuring the party will always look for credible candidates to win.
“People must make themselves to love the party. What people should be talking about is the performance of the party in giving dividends to Nigerians. It is their right to vent anger but consensus allows cohesion and cohesiveness.
Those God wants to be there will be there. The beauty of this CECPC would ensure rancour free process and we are doing that. But not everybody will be happy.
“I want to advise them to stay in the party and associate with the stakeholders and lobby them. We followed the Constitution of the party to conduct the process. The reports before us don’t give the impression that the processes were flawed. People should stop playing to the gallery. We set up appeal panels and I am not sure they explored the channel for redress. Even when they go, they can’t prove their case”, he defended.
