President Muhammadu Buhari has told lawmakers elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to accept the party’s supremacy in the interest of democracy, Vangaurd reports.
The president made this remarks at the ongoing meeting of National Executive Committee of the party at Abuja which the APC is hoping to resolve crisis engulfing the party following the fallout of National Assembly leadership tussle.
He charged everyone to put whatever interest they have in their “pocket” and accept the supremacy of the party in the overall interest of democracy.
He said: “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. I cannot confine myself in Sambisa forest and refuse to participate in the meeting because I respect the superiority of the party.”
“Let APC work, let the system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies.
“My problem is the constituencies. I thank you very much for listening to me, and I thank the leadership across the board, and I appeal to you to please continue to work together.
The President pleaded with party members not to throw the success of the party in the general election to the wind.He reminded the party members of the sacrifices made through the merger to the eventual victory at the polls.
He said: “The elections have come and gone, the APC has won the battle, but lost the war. This is the paradox of democracy, and we shall see how we can manage it going forward.
“I have already addressed you through the chairman, through the leadership of the party, through your excellencies, the governors and through our Senators and House of Representatives members.
“The APC must not disappoint its constituency, that is the nation state. We have to convince our various constituencies that we are individually worthy of the sacrifices that they have made.
“They stayed awake day and night, travelling all over the country and made sure as a party, we emerged victorious. What subsequently happened is human, and as human beings we are not perfect, but let our collective actions in this party prove that we have won the elections, the battle and we will win the war.
“As for me as a President, I have to clearly understand the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the constitution of APC, and having tried three times and successfully lost three times and successfully ending up at the Supreme Court.
“I think I have tasted the bitter disappointments and the sweetness of success.
“What happened to APC must be given to God almighty. The opposition party has ruled the country for 16 years, with all the treasuries literally in their pockets and all the coercing forces at their command or under their command they still meekly conceded defeat. We congratulate them for that. ”
The president congratulated the APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for leading the party to victory and acknowledged the presence of the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Odigie-Oyegun said it was unfortunate that the first NEC meeting was convened hurriedly but congratulated the members on the landslide victory at the polls.
”The main item on the agenda is the ratification of aspects of members of the Board of Trustees,” he said.
He lauded the character of the president and his deputy, saying APC became easily believable because of their integrity.
He said added trhat APC governors have increased from 14 to 22 and still counting.
The president made this remarks at the ongoing meeting of National Executive Committee of the party at Abuja which the APC is hoping to resolve crisis engulfing the party following the fallout of National Assembly leadership tussle.
He charged everyone to put whatever interest they have in their “pocket” and accept the supremacy of the party in the overall interest of democracy.
He said: “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. I cannot confine myself in Sambisa forest and refuse to participate in the meeting because I respect the superiority of the party.”
“Let APC work, let the system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies.
“My problem is the constituencies. I thank you very much for listening to me, and I thank the leadership across the board, and I appeal to you to please continue to work together.
The President pleaded with party members not to throw the success of the party in the general election to the wind.He reminded the party members of the sacrifices made through the merger to the eventual victory at the polls.
He said: “The elections have come and gone, the APC has won the battle, but lost the war. This is the paradox of democracy, and we shall see how we can manage it going forward.
“I have already addressed you through the chairman, through the leadership of the party, through your excellencies, the governors and through our Senators and House of Representatives members.
“The APC must not disappoint its constituency, that is the nation state. We have to convince our various constituencies that we are individually worthy of the sacrifices that they have made.
“They stayed awake day and night, travelling all over the country and made sure as a party, we emerged victorious. What subsequently happened is human, and as human beings we are not perfect, but let our collective actions in this party prove that we have won the elections, the battle and we will win the war.
“As for me as a President, I have to clearly understand the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the constitution of APC, and having tried three times and successfully lost three times and successfully ending up at the Supreme Court.
“I think I have tasted the bitter disappointments and the sweetness of success.
“What happened to APC must be given to God almighty. The opposition party has ruled the country for 16 years, with all the treasuries literally in their pockets and all the coercing forces at their command or under their command they still meekly conceded defeat. We congratulate them for that. ”
The president congratulated the APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for leading the party to victory and acknowledged the presence of the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Odigie-Oyegun said it was unfortunate that the first NEC meeting was convened hurriedly but congratulated the members on the landslide victory at the polls.
”The main item on the agenda is the ratification of aspects of members of the Board of Trustees,” he said.
He lauded the character of the president and his deputy, saying APC became easily believable because of their integrity.
He said added trhat APC governors have increased from 14 to 22 and still counting.
