April 07, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, received Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the newly-elected chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Adamu was presented to the President by the immediate past Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Governor Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe State.
The duo had arrived at the State House around 14:30 GMT and were immediately ushered into the President’s office by protocol officers attached to the President.
President Buhari assured the party and the nation that he would continue the struggle to entrench democratic principles in politics and the affairs of governance.
“Today, we should all be happy that the party has nursed its wounds and healed itself sufficiently to march forward to face the challenges of the coming state and General elections.
“When I reflect on policies of the administration on the economy and specifically in the development of agriculture, infrastructure, ICT and innovation and the welfare measures we have put in place for women, the youth and the less privileged members of the society, I get fresh confidence that our citizens will continue supporting the APC in our electoral battles.
“Our government is working for the betterment of the country. Our policies and programmes aim at nothing, but the betterment of the country and its people. Essentially, the party should take the programmes of the government to the people to infuse confidence into them”, the President said.
Buhari commended the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning for the conduct of the congresses and convention leading to the emergence of the Adamu-led National Executive Committee (NEC), saying, “we cannot thank you enough for all that you did.”
He urged the new APC chairman to be fair and firm as he is known to be in all his dealings.
Addressing State House Correspondents after the closed session with the President, the APC Chairman said he was happy to meet with President Buhari after taking over as the party’s Chairman.
He assured members of the party that his leadership will ensure justice and fair play for all.
He said he was at the State house to thank the President for giving leadership to the party, leading to a successful convention.
“We owe him a duty to come here to thank him for giving leadership for the party to have a successful convention. I am here with the immediate past Chairman of our great party, the Governor of Yobe State, who headed the special caretaker committee that organised a very historic national convention.
“I am here to thank the President and inform him that I am now fully in charge of this party and by the grace of God, we will be honest and take the trust bestowed on us with every seriousness and sense of patriotism.
“We are setting out the foundation; we are just one week old in office after taking over. There isn’t much I will tell the public at this point in time. We owe the President a duty as the leader of the party. We are preparing for the forthcoming general election and we came to inform him what our activities are and how we are trying to reform the party”, he said.
On the model to be adopted for the party’s primary election, especially choosing its presidential candidate, Adamu said when the time comes; the party will use either direct, indirect or consensus model.
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