By Umar Muhammad Puma
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Monday charged newly-inaugurated APC State Chairmen on the re-election of the party, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections.
“On your (State Chairmen) laps lies the onerous responsibility of returning this party to office for a second term. On your laps to a great extent also lie the return of our dear President to office so that the Change Agenda will have time to settle down to mature and become second nature to the people of our dear nation.” Odigie-Oyegun said while inaugurating returning and newly-elected State Chairmen at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.
While urging compromise among party stakeholders, the APC National Chairman also named the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawali Shuaibu, to head the APC’s reconciliation efforts following issues that arose from recently conducted ward, local government and state congresses.
“There is serious and immediate need for reconciliation. You have seen states like Oyo, Cross River, Delta, Taraba and even Lagos State.
Don’t go back and say ‘we have won’. This is not a winner takes all situation. Political parties are not organised in that way. I have set up a team headed by the Party’s Deputy National Chairman (North) and he may have cause to invite some of the states in the next few days.
“It is something that must be done, and if possible, tidied up way before the National Convention. So that we will have as rancour-free a convention as is possible for any political party. Let me emphasise once more, there is need for reconciliation, give and take, compromise and I hope those sitting here will have the courage and expanse of spirit to embrace those we may think have technically lost out but are still important party members”, he said.
