The All Progressives Congress (APC) concerned stakeholders have charged the party’s leadership to work towards ensuring inclusiveness and mass participation, in line with its ideals.
This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Abubakar Usman, on behalf of the stakeholders in Abuja on Thursday.
Usman said that the stakeholders were unhappy the reports of parallel congresses in the recently concluded ward, local government and state congresses of the party.
He said that while a few states conducted the congresses with a semblance of the true letters and spirit of consensus, the reverse was the case in other states.
“In many other states, the congresses were mere gatherings to confer some sort of legitimacy on already prepared list of party executives,” Usman said.
This, he said, was done in most cases, without the involvement and acceptance of other stakeholders from the states.
Usman said that where attempts were made at all to arrive at consensus, it was largely within the camp of those who called the shots.
“From Kano to Kwara from Osun to Ogun from Lagos to Sokoto and a couple of other states, Nigerians were treated to embarrassing spectacles of multiple congresses by members of the party who wanted to exercise their rights.
“Indeed, we are not unaware of the bickering that usually accompany contest for political power, especially in a ruling party like the APC.
“But more than half of those bickering are doing so as a result of the incidences recorded in the build up to the various congresses.
“While we condemn the resort to self-help by the conduct of parallel congresses, the leadership of the APC should reflect on the fact that sometimes, when you are pushed to the wall, you take certain actions unexpected of you.
“This is why we have always appealed that the APC should return to its core ideals of inclusion and mass participation which were the hallmarks of its very foundation,’’ he said.
Usman said as the country approach the 2023 general election, those who genuinely loved the APC must rise to curtail all practice that tend to weaken its strengths.
“As patriotic party members, it is time for all to display honesty towards the survival of APC and the sustenance of the legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government,” he said.
He noted that while party members always claim to love Buhari, his legacies could only be sustained with APC remaining in power beyond 2023.
“Like we have maintained, it is not too late at this stage to salvage the already bad situation. The forthcoming National Convention presents an opportunity that must not be missed.
“We must reiterate our earlier position, that any form of imposition, no matter how well we try to disguise it as consensus, cannot promote unity within the party.
“Those currently at the helms of affairs of the party must learn not to repeat the same mistakes over and over again, if truly their interest is for the large majority of party members and not a few powerful individuals.
“While we acknowledge the steps taken by the party leadership with the constitution of a National Reconciliation Committee; it is our belief that reconciliation without rectitude cannot lead us anywhere,’’ he said.
Usman added that to have a cohesive and united party which was ready and prepared to take on the challenges ahead, there was urgent need to embrace progressive behaviour.
The party chieftain advised that all loyal and dedicated party members should be accorded recognition irrespective of their status.
“The APC concerned stakeholders will not sit back and watch a small clique do as they like with the party that was jointly built,” Usman said.(NAN)
