Indications emerged on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors have adopted consensus for emergence of party officials, including National Chairman.
The Governors updated Buhari on progress so far made in the planning of the National Convention scheduled for Saturday at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Chairman of the Progressive Govenors Forum Atiku Bagudu, who led 16 of his colleagues to the meeting, told State House Correspondents they would follow the President’s guidance for the Convention, including his preferred choice for Chairman.
However, the Governors noted that the party, with its strong belief in the democratic principles, would not deny aspirants who still wish to run in a contest.
“Once more Your Excellencies, members of the press, good afternoon. I earlier said that today, members of the Progressive Governors Forum were hosted by Mr. President at a meeting to discuss what the governors have been doing in preparation for the March 26, National Convention.
“Some of you may recall that last week there was a letter that was widely circulated in the media, addressed to me as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and copied to a number of others, including the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, the acting Chairman of the Caretaker Committee and indeed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“That letter led to a series of actions, including meetings between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Acting Chairman, Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, as he was then, and myself.
“We all restated our commitment to working together to ensure that the convention takes place on March 26, 2022 and then we agreed to support all the decisions that were taken by the Caretaker Committee, both acting as a working committee and acting with the donated powers given to it by the National Executive Committee.
“Indeed, the Chairman of the Caretaker, upon his return, also appreciated what the Caretaker Committee did.
“Most of the zones have been allocated National Working Committee positions that are fewer than the number of States but there are zonal executive committees from which the zones are working to produce a consensus list.
“So, this afternoon, the respective zones; Governor Abu Bello on behalf of the North-Central; His Excellency, Governor Babagana Zulum Umara, on behalf of the Northeast; His Excellency, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State on behalf of Northwest; His Excellency, Governor Dave Umahi, on behalf of Southeast. Governor Kayode Fayemi briefed the President on the Southwest. I further mention the position of the South-South to Mr. President, as I had on paper.
“So, Mr. President, appreciated the briefing and restated his gratitude for the work the governors have been doing in support for the in support of the party and preparation for the National Convention,” he said.
He, however pointed out that aspirants that are against consensus option are free to run at the Saturday Convention, saying APC as a democratic party will not bar anybody from exercising their rights.
“Our party is a democratic party, we will always urge consensus, we’ll urge respect for the decisions of the party because the distribution of political party offices here has been approved by the highest organ of the party, which is the National Caretaker Committee, because they were acting in their capacity as the National Executive Committee of the party, but where people still choose to go against the grain, whatever the party constitution allows them, because we wouldn’t do anything on undemocratic.
“Mr. President has always urged consensus for all positions because consensus is in accordance with the democratic tenets and once you have leaders who are established, who are working towards the same goal, yes, we might have our individual differences, like was once carefully explained by Governor El-Rufa’i, but on the principle of ensuring that we get leadership that will hit the ground running, we are united, and to that extent, who will support any process that will lead to consensus and the emergence of leaders without the need for election.”
