OREDOLA ADEOLA |
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019 general election. He made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement released to press by Mr Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.
In the statement, the President said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to recontest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give NEC the honour of notifying them first.
The President in a remark on the report submitted by the APC National Executive Technical Committee, disclosed that the content of the report shows a sense of commitment to the ideals of APC, with a view to consolidating and positioning the party to continue delivering good governance in the overall interest of Nigerians.
He said, “ With the present state of the party and based on the report submitted by the Technical Committee, It is important to focus on how to move the party forward by avoiding actions detrimental to the interest of the party.
Considering that politics is a game of numbers, we must not be a house divided against itself and must try to note, appreciate and accommodate our differences as far as the law permits.
“Upon my review of the report, my position is to ensure that the party tows the path of unity, legality and cohesion and not that of division.
He however charged the executive members to strengthen the party’s internal democracy by organising the Party’s Congresses and Convention where election of National Executive Committee members would be held.
This according to him, will automatically end the cases filed by members seeking orders of Court compelling the party to hold its Congresses.
He further solicited on behalf of the party’s current executives, pleading that they should be free to vie for elective positions in the party if they so wish as permitted by party’s constitution.
He further said, “Considering the provision of Article 31(1)(iii) of the APC Constitution which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before election, I am not sure of the practicality of present serving officers’ ability to meet this condition.
“Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party executives at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised from participating in the elections should they wish to do so, provided this does not violate our rules.
“Necessary waiver(s) should also be extended to executives at the Ward level whose tenures may have elapsed, and indeed to anyone knocking at our doors from other political parties. This is in the spirit of the Right to Freedom of Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” he stated.
President Buhari however appealed to the executive of the party to officially issue a statement on the proposed Waivers, in order for the party to take in more members decamping from other parties.
He was however confident that the party’s victory in 2019 general election is sure.
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