….We’ll support any candidate endorsed by Buhari, say govs
By Egena Sunday Ode
The bickering over whether or not the national convention of the rulling All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for this weekend will elect party officials through affirmation as against casting votes for candidates have been laid to rest as governors elected on the platform of the party have endorsed the consensus arrangement.
Besides, the governors have openly declared that they would queue behind any candidate who receives the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari to emerge as national chairman.
President Buhari is said to be in favour of consensus as the best approach to elect party officials without much rancour and is said to be more favourably disposed to the candidacy of former Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Adamu.
The governors spoke to State House correspondents after they emerged from meeting with President Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
They were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Interim Committee of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
The Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, spoke on behalf of the APC governors.
According to him, the governors all restated their commitment to working together to ensure that the convention takes place on March 26.
Bagudu further explained that they also agreed to support all the decisions that were taken by the Caretaker Committee, both acting as a working committee and acting with the donated powers given to it by the National Executive Committee.
He said: “Our party is a democratic party, we will always urge consensus, we’ll urge respect for the decisions of the party because the distribution of political party offices here has been approved by the highest organ of the party, which is the National Caretaker Committee because they were acting in their capacity as the National Executive Committee of the party.
“But where people still choose to go against the grain, whatever the party constitution allows them because we wouldn’t do anything on undemocratic.
“Mr. President has always urged consensus for all positions because consensus is in accordance with the democratic tenets and once you have leaders who are established, who are working towards the same goal, yes, we might have our differences, like was once carefully explained by Governor El-Rufai.
“But on the principle of ensuring that we get leadership that will hit the ground running, we are united, and to that extent, who will support any process that will lead to consensus and the emergence of leaders without the need for an election.
Asked if we are likely to see surprises at the convention, he said “No, the governors are united. The governors are unanimous in support of Mr. President.
“The governors are unanimous in the support of the caretaker committee, without thanking the Caretaker Committee for what they have been doing.
“Naturally, there will be hiccups one day, but we have overcome them and we are a human organization, which is bound sometimes to generate emotions and anxiety, but we are united and unanimous and by God’s grace, we’ll have a very successful and peaceful National Convention.
The progressive governor’s forum chairman said they all briefed President on distributing political party offices to the respective zones.
“And our support for Mr. President’s endorsement of the candidate for the National Chairman of the party and the various geo-political zones took turns to brief Mr. President, on what they have been doing to generate consensus in their respective zones amongst the National Working Committee and zonal party positions that have been either allocated to the zones or which the zones are entitled to.
“Most of the zones have been allocated National Working Committee positions that are fewer than the number of states, but however, there are zonal executive committees from which the zones are working to produce a consensus list.
“So, this afternoon, the respective zones; Governor Abu Bello on behalf of the North-Central; His Excellency, Governor Babagana Zulum Umara, on behalf of the Northeast; His Excellency, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State on behalf of Northwest; His Excellency, Governor Dave Umahi, on behalf of Southeast. Governor Kayode Fayemi briefed the President on the Southwest. I further mention the position of the South-South to Mr. President, as I had on paper.
“So, Mr. President appreciated the briefing and restated his gratitude for the work the governors have been doing in support for them in support of the party and preparation for the National Convention,” he added.
