National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, has charged the party´s National Convention Committee to be fair to all aspirants and to produce a free and fair convention.
He gave the charge on Monday in Abuja while inaugurating the 68-member committee headed by Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa.
Mr Odigie-Oyegun also tasked the committee to ensure a level-playing field for anybody who wanted to aspire to any executive position of the party.
“I am passing the buck over to you today; at the end of this exercise, I want to see a reunited APC under whatever leadership your exercise brings up.
“We have a tough election ahead of us, and we must prime ourselves for that election. We must not cuddle ourselves with any false sense of being the party in power.
“Our population today is much more aware of their rights than they have ever been.
“So, as you proceed, please ensure that all these views and opinions are brought together into a one united APC,’’ he said.
The chairman congratulated members of the committee, saying that they were specially chosen for the assignment, and that they all represented major interest in the party.
“The party is going to have a short, shaped elective convention for good reasons; for months, we have been talking forward and backward, sometimes not in very acceptable terms and language about the leadership of the party.
“No responsible organisation will allow these doubts to continue indefinitely; the earlier it is resolved, the better so that this party can move and forge ahead,’’ he said.
Mr Odigie-Oyegun noted that the task ahead of the committee was major, but added that the signs were clear that the APC was a vibrant and living party.
He also said that the signs were clear that APC was a party whose leadership was committed and dedicated in spite of current events coming ahead of 2019 elections.
Accepting the responsibility, Chairman of the committee, Mr Badaru, thanked the APC leadership for believing in the members and assured that they would not fail the party.
“We will do all it takes to come out stronger and united; God is with us and God will continue to support us because of our clear vision, our good heart and our love for the people of Nigeria,´´ he said.
Mr Baduru added that the APC-led Federal Government was poised to serve the people and to rescue the country from collapse.
“With that heart and mind, we believe that God will support us, help us to come out stronger and rededicate ourselves to the service of humanity and our people.’’
He expressed optimism that the party would come out stronger, united and more transparent and accountable to the people.
The governor added that the committee would adhere to the party´s zoning arrangement, saying that sale of forms to aspirants would commence on Wednesday.
He promised that the committee would be fair to all aspirants, adding that the convention scheduled for May 14, would hold in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo is Deputy Chairman of the committee which has other APC governors and legislators as members.
NAN
