Governor of Yobe State and Chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Mai Mala Buni, said the party will commence the process of true reconciliation among leaders and members of the Party at all levels.
Preaching peace at the inaugural meeting and the swearing in ceremony of the committee of the governing party at the National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, the Chairman, called on leaders and members of the Party to put the past behind and strengthen themselves for all current and future challenges.
Highlighting the priorities of his committee, the Chairman said, “the committee will commence the process of true reconciliation among leaders and members of the Party at all levels.”
He said the decision by NEC to constitute the committee marked the beginning of a new chapter of the Party.
Charging members of the committee, Buni said, “as the interim managers and leaders of our Party, our priority would be the recognition of the need to act appropriately and acceptably in the overall interest of the Party. Our actions in the next few months would be proactive and responsive.
“From now onward, we will concentrate on medium and long term development of our strategies and internal organization to support our public standing as well as our chances of electoral successes in all future elections.
“This is the time for us to focus with determination to create adaptive institutional capacity to weather the current divisions in our Party.”
Calling for truce among party leaders and members, the Chairman said the party cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians, “What separates us from other political parties and endeared us to Nigerians, are the sincerity of purpose, our principles of internal democracy and the unblemished integrity of the founders of our Party.
“Nigerians have trusted and still have the trust in us that the Party will create a country of our dream with a prosperous future. As the party trusted by Nigerians, and voted massively for two times in a row, we must shun away from any attempt to distract us from delivering the dividend of democracy to Nigerians.
“What happened to us as a Party in the last few months is not totally strange in a big political party such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), internal disagreements are common in all political parties, so ours is not an exception”.
To achieve the task ahead of the committee and the party, Buni urged all Party members to heed to the appeal by our Leader, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on his call to all aggrieved members who have instituted various cases in the courts to please withdraw such cases in the “interest of our great-Party.”
According to him, “Change is inevitable and disagreement on issues and concepts are an integral part of human and institutional relationship. As a political Party built on strong ideology and, parading men and women of enduring principle and integrity, we must prepare for real and anticipated changes and their consequences. The outcomes of changes that evolve in our Party politics must be decided by us”.
He then solicited for the support and prayers of party members for the successful execution of their assignment.
Earlier, Buni superintendent over the swearing in of members of the committee.
The oath of office was administered by the director of legal services of the party, Barrister Dare Oketade.
The committee members include Osun State Governor, Isiaka Oyetola – SW, Senator Ken Nnamani – SE, Mrs. Stella Okorete – Women Rep, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello – NC, Dr. James Lalu – Physically Challenged, Sen. Abubakar Yusuf- Senatè Rep and Hon. Akinyemi Olaide – Reps.
Others are Mr. David Lyon – SS, Abba Ari -NW, Prof. Tahir Mamman – NE, Ismail Ahmed – Youth and Sen. Akpan Udoedehe – Secretary.
Meanwhile, the former fractional national chairman, Victor Giadom on Monday handed over to the chairman of the caretaker committee immediately after inaugural meeting.
Addressing newsmen after, Giadom said members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) have collectively and individually learnt lessons from the leadership crisis that rocked the party leading to the setting up of the caretaker Committee of the party.
“All members of the immediate past NWC should be able to learn from our mistakes, including my humble self. It is time to join hand with the Caretaker Committee to see how to strengthen the party. The party is bigger than all of us. So, it is our collective responsibility as former members of NWC to join hand with the committee to see to the success of the committee
“APC is a larger family and in every family, there is bound to be disagreement and what is important is ability of the family to come to agreement. Today, with the formation of caretaker committee, we are close to agreement and I’m sure this committee will do the needful and our party will become stronger,” Giadom stated.