By Nathaniel Zaccheaus
The All Progressives Congress Senators on Tuesday expressed worry over the crisis rocking the party.
They held a closed-door meeting after plenary at Senate room 301, to deliberate on the crisis.
The lawmakers, however, said that the Niger State Governor, Sani Bello was merely acting for the ailing Governor Mai Mala Buni, as chairman of the party’s caretaker committee.
They, therefore, urged all stakeholders to exercise caution to avoid any incident that could prevent the conduct of the March 26 convention of the party.
The Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdillahi, who briefed journalists after the two-hour meeting described happenings in the APC as worrisome.
He said his colleagues would soon start peace moves to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders across the country.
Abdullahi said, “APC senators met for about two hours. We are too worried about what is happening in our party and we expressed our concern over the challenges facing the party, very close to its national convention.
“We thought of as very important stakeholders in the party. We want to draw the attention of everyone involved to come together and unite so that we can have a very successful convention at the party.
“This is not the time for exchanging regrets about what we could do. What is happening is about the future of our party and Government and also the capacity of our party to win elections in 2023.
“We have sat down as important stakeholders as a caucus in this great party, to dissect all the issues that have been affecting our party since the formation of the caretaker extraordinary convention planning committee.
“We are quite aware of the challenges that they have faced and we are also aware of the successes that the committee had recorded particularly when it comes to registration of members.
” They came to harmonize some of the successes of the party, carrying out congresses at the ward, local government, and the state levels.
“The same convention planning committee is in place
What we realized is that the chairman of the convention planning committee has been sick and he went for a medication checkup.”
“The current Niger State Governor, from the grapevine and from the knowledge that is available to us is actually the deputy chairman and in the absence of the chairman he is acting till the chairman comes back.
“The speculation in the papers is not exactly true.
“What we are concerned about is the seeming disarray in the party. So from our standing coming from all the states in Nigeria, we have to come and establish a national platform where all these things can be articulated so that all of us will come up with one mind and strategies for the success of the party.
“All personal and individual bitter struggling for power is subordinated to the chances of the party. Party interest.
“So that the party would be strong. We are the strongest party we have the largest membership, therefore we should as much as possible move to make sure that our party is United in the interest of every member
“We commend the performance of that committee, we ask you to do more by as much as possible by trying to reconcile those chapters where there are still challenges trailing the ward, local government, and state congresses.
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” This is because a loss in any state is a loss for the party. We cannot afford to come to the convention as a divided entity.
“Anywhere there are challenges that could cost the party its victory is a loss for everybody.”
The Senate Leader said the APC federal lawmakers had taken it upon themselves to commence moves to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders.
He said, “We have resolved to meet again to articulate the major issues and then meet with the various stakeholders and aspirants of the party to advise and call for unity and sense of purpose to make sure that we unite every faction every stakeholder of the party so that the party can emerge victorious in 2023 elections.
