BEVERLY HILLS, July 03, (THEWILL) – National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, were conspicuously absent at Friday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja following their displeasure with the outcome of elections into principal offices at the National Assembly, where the APC is the majority.
NEC is seeking a resolution to the crisis rocking the party at the National Assembly.
All other key players in the party that are members of NEC including President Muhammadu Buhari attended the meeting.
In his opening address, President Buhari urged members of the ruling party, particularly those at the National Assembly to put whatever personal interests they have in their pockets and respect and accept the supremacy of the party for the survival of the APC and democracy.
“What ever your personal interests, put them in your pocket. Let APC work, let the system work…
“I appeal to you to accept the superiority of the party…” the President said.
President Buhari also urged leaders of the party to work hard to quickly resolve internal differences in the party and avoid disappointing Nigerians.
Buhari warned that having won the battle of the last general elections, the APC now runs the risk of losing the “war” for party unity and internal cohesion.
The President affirmed his belief in the supremacy of the APC’s Change Pact with Nigerians over the personal ambitions of its members.
“As human beings, we are not perfect, but let us do our best to eventually win this ‘war’ so that we can get on with the urgent task of delivering on our electoral promises to the nation,” he said.
Tracing the history of the APC from pre-merger talks to electoral victory, the President urged APC members to put their personal ambitions aside and resolve their current differences for the good of the party and the nation.
The APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had earlier told the gathering that President Buhari opted to attend the NEC meeting at the APC Secretariat, rather than host the parley at the Banquet Hall of the State House because he wanted to raise the spirit of party members with his presence at the secretariat.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun added that the party had focused its change agenda around President Buhari’s person during the campaign “because of his reputation and integrity.”
“Your charisma and cult-like following facilitated what can be called a landslide victory at the Presidential election,” he told the President.
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