Buni Promises Rancour-free APC National Convention

Buni Promises Rancour-free APC National Convention 

By Kabir Akintayo

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Mai Mala Buni, has promised to conduct a rancour-free National Convention which is scheduled to take place in February, 2022.

Buni, during the New year message to Nigerians said his committee has restored the lost glory of the party.

In a statement issued in Abuja, and signed by the Secretary of the CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, Buni said the objective of the committee is to conduct National Convention and ensure free fair and credible election.

“Recall that the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was birthed by the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in June 2020 as an interim administration to steer the affairs of the Party following widespread and crippling internal rancours that had threatened the kernel and continued existence of the Party.

“Under the able leadership of His Excellency Mai Mala Buni who doubles as the Governor of Yobe State, the CECPC leadership consulted widely and immediately undertook the task of understudying the state of the Party and setting agenda to identify issues and to resolve all pending and emerging internal crisis within the Party at all levels, and to create a harmonious working atmosphere for the Party’s planned National Convention.”

“Thus far, CECPC can now report real and positive progress,” he said.

He continued: “In fulfillment of the NEC mandate, CECPC in 2021 respectively and successfully conducted ward, local government, and state congresses to elect substantial party executives. On 20th December, 2021, at its 18th regular meeting, it deliberated on the planned National Convention and resolved to set up sub-committees on budgeting and other relevant substructures for the National Convention. All is now set for the conduct of a rancour-free National Convention”.

Stating the achievements of the committee, Akpanudoedehe said that APC has recorded over 40million membership during registration.

“Following CECPC’s conduct of a nationwide membership registration, revalidation and register update exercise, APC is now unarguably the most populous political party in Nigeria with a membership base of over 40 million registered members”.

“The caretaker committee has established a truly unified, strong, repositioned and progressive political unit that has gone on to win a number of critical elections across the country”.

“Under the leadership of Governor Buni, the CECPC has created a member-centered party structure — one that guarantees the full participation of all members in decision making and Party activities”.

“It has won into the APC fold three serving state Governors and scores of parliamentarians from other political parties”.

“It has successfully reviewed the APC Constitution”.

“It has scrutinised and paid for the inherited debts with respect to the services to the party in the past administration”.

“It has ended and resolved inherited litigations and court cases instituted by many aggrieved members against the party for various reasons by reaching out to the aggrieved members who have consequently responded to the CECPC reconciliation”.

“It has entrenched stronger internal democracy in the party as demonstrated in the transparent candidate nomination processes and congresses”.

“It has purchased the building housing the APC National Secretariat which was previously leased, and has been subsequently named as Buhari House, giving APC a permanent abode in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.

“It has established a National Reconciliation Committee under the leadership of Sen. Abdulahi Adamu to reach out to aggrieved members, in the current dispensation, with the view to resolving areas of misunderstanding and proactively preventing a crisis. The committee has received various memoranda and has recorded a good number of resolutions that have improved the Party’s cohesion subsequently”.

“Since the coming of CECPC, it has been engaging and entrenching in the party processes, previously marginalised groups such as the youth women, and persons with disabilities and hereby enriching the democratic experience of the party”.

APC also appealed to Nigeria by giving support to President Muhammadu Buhari and appreciate the success achieved compared to PDP administration of looting and retrogressive era.

“We deeply appreciate Nigerians for reposing confidence in APC as a party and government from inception to date. On our part, APC will continue to keep and fulfill our election promises by taking citizens out of poverty through massive social investments, revamping the economy, securing lives and property, and ultimately tackling corruption and impunity from their root causes”.

“The APC-led Administration has expanded access to tertiary education by establishing new universities, both regular and specialised, more colleges of education to train professional teachers, and polytechnics to develop skilled technical manpower needed to spur the country’s development in different facets. We will continue building and improving infrastructure in the transportation, power, telecommunications and agriculture sectors to further drive economic growth”.

“Our diversification drive is a huge success. That Nigeria is no longer the largest importer of rice in the world, but currently the largest producer in Africa is a testament and an achievement that is attributable to Nigerian farmers who responded to the national call by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration by massively participating in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development”.

“As a result of the economic stabilisation and expansion strategies of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration, the country has witnessed the revival of previously dormant factories and the establishment of countless new ones, especially in the agro and allied sectors of the economy. It is heartwarming that the factories have created multiple direct and indirect job opportunities by processing raw materials sourced locally”.

“This government has made record investments and intervention in improving the nation’s security architecture. The APC leadership commends the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration for relentlessly supporting our security forces with enhanced and sophisticated air, land and sea defense assets to raise the level of their operational readiness, efficiency and capacities so as to ensure that the country returns to its safe and peaceful state”.

“The recent winging of 20 pilots and graduation of more than 500 personnel by the Nigerian Air Force, and the 81st Regular Passing Out Parade of 4,000 newly-recruited and fully trained soldiers by the Nigerian Army, are proof that the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Administration is fully awake and doing what it takes for the Armed Forces to protect the country’s territorial integrity”.

“APC notes with satisfaction the contribution of the Communication and Digital Economy sector to the growth of the Nigerian economy. The contribution of the sector to job and wealth creation is obvious while through its activities our progress in the area of digitisation will grow in leaps and bounds in 2022 with the introduction of the 5G technology in the country”.

“The party strongly reaffirms that governments at all levels elected on its platform will continue to articulate and implement policies and programmes that will enhance the collective wellbeing of Nigerians in 2022 and beyond. Driven by patriotism and the critical needs of the people of Nigeria, APC will sustain the current trajectory of national renewal, the impact of which will become more profound and pronounced in the coming months when ongoing developmental projects become increasingly operational,” the statement read.

While wishing Nigerian a prosperous New year celebration, the party cautioned people to be wary of COVID -19 and follow the instructions by maintaining social distance and avoidance of public gathering.