By Abdullahi Mohammed
President Muhammadu Buhari has said the All Progressives Congresss APC which triumphed at the last general elections has won the battle but lost the war. He made this statement Friday during the APC NEC meeting at the party secretariat in Abuja.
According to Buhari ” APC has won the battle and lost the war using the paradox of democracy. We shall see how we can manage it, how do we manage it is the way going forward . I have already appealed to you through the chairman and leadership of the party, through your excellencies the governors , through the our senators and house of representatives.
“The APC must not disappoint its constituency (and) the nation state. We thank God in the next four years we will be able to convince our constituencies that we have individually been active for the party by staying awake day and night by promoting it all over the country by making sure that the party emerged victorious” he appealed.
He added if the leaders let the collective action of the party rule, “as we have won the election, we will eventually win the war. As for me the president of Nigeria I have to clear your understanding the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the APC which having tried three times and successfully lost three times and successfully headed to supreme court three times ,I think I have tasted the bitter disappointment of defeat and sweetness of success.
“What happened to APC must all be given to God almighty. The opposition party that ruled for 16 years with all the treasures literally in their pockets and with all the coercive forces under their command they still neatly conceded defeats, we congratulate them for the courage” he stated.
He said the party remains superior to guide the conduct of members and congratulated Chief Bisi Akande for leading the party at its formative stage.
He pleaded “ Let us as members of APC ..get together and use the mandate given to us by this country. This is my personal appeal . I’m begging you in the name of God whatever your personal interest is and ambition, please keep it in your pocket let APC work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our various constituency.My problem is constituency. I thank the leadership and the board and I plead to you to continue to work together and please accept the superiority of the party . …”
Also speaking at the event is the APC national chairman Dr Odigie Oyegun said that ” we have been unable to meet for obvious various reason . The exigencies of the electioneering here and even there after because of the short period of preparation for the transition to power. We should normally have met before now even if it is tapping each other at the back on the basis of what we have done but unfortunately we are meeting today in an emergency session , but that does not stop us from congratulating ourselves. I think it is in order for us to congratulate ourselves for the singular victory that we have achieved through the combined effort of all the stakeholders of the party from the grassroots level up to the National level”.
Oyegun specifically congratulate the president that ” our congratulations should go to most especially to you Mr president for being the rallying point
” I also want to congratulate you my dear governors whose ranks have swollen from 14 in few months ago to 22 states and we are still counting . I want to emphasize that we are still counting. I congratulate our senators, members of the house of representatives and state assemblies whose combined victory have resulted to a historic uproot of PDP from the part of the long oppressed Nigerian people. And for my colleagues of the NWC and state chairmen and all party leaders nation wide and some of us are here today as members of the house of representatives. I have to say well done.
He pledged that the crisis rocking the national assembly will be dealt with before NASS resumes sitting.
The senate president Bukola Saraki who briefed the press said ” as the chairman said we should dot the I and cross the T . I think we are on that course now, I am feeling very very pleased that we will put our differences behind us very soon, you can see the smiles on every body face it was a good meeting” he added.
Also speaking after the meeting is Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole who said that ” we had a review of the issues how we get to where we are today .We acknowledged all the strongest opposition members of various group, various section, at the end of the day God has granted our efforts with victory
He also observed that “The fact that the president has left the villa to the party office to attend the NEC meeting is his own practical demonstration of the superiority of the party because all of us the president inclusive ran our election on the platform of this party and Nigerian are expecting that the party will work as one family and so that we can delivered on the promises of change and we had a very interesting conversation”.
Vote Of Confidence on Oyegun led leadership
Oshiomhole said ” We recognised that our starting off was not easy ,we affirmed confidence in the leadership of the party , we affirmed confidence in the way which the president has provided leadership for the country. We see him not just as president but he is also the father of all of us… We all pledged to be loyal and dedicated to speak out and ensured that in all that he does he has the benefits, the support of all of us as governors and members of NEC at various levels.
“ I think we are leaving this place much much stronger than we were before we enter” he boasted.
He added that. ” I know there are people who were expecting we were going to throw chairs and all of that, the good thing about democracy is that it allows even the fools to be foolish and the intelligent to show his intelligence , but at the end of the day the process of conversation will help to sought of to get everyone to buy into (an idea)
He concluded by saying he was “happy that those who were expecting that (we) will be people coming out wearing long faces have been put to shame . This party has come to say, after all we are APC” .
