The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday issued a statement on the recent crisis that rocked his party.
Tinubu listed several observations and addressed certain rumours about the 2023 Presidential elections. POLITICS NIGERIA has compiled 8 major things Tinubu highlighted in his statement;
- DISINTEGRATION OF APC
The National leader addressed several comments that the party was divided and will crack up before 2023 saying; ““Most such dire predictions were from critics whose forecasts said more about their ill will than they revealed about our party’s objective condition,”.
He described the predictions as premature, adding that “an honest person must admit the party had entered a space where it had no good reason to be”.
2. OSHIOMOLE MADE MISTAKES
Tinubu expressed agreement with assertions that the National Chairman of the Party, Adams Oshiomole made mistakes in handling the party’s crisis.
“Comrade Oshiomhole tried his best. Mistakes were made and he must own them. Yet, we must remember also that he was an able and enthusiastic campaigner during the 2019 election. He is a man of considerable ability as are the rest of you who constituted the NWC.”
3. EROSION OF PARTY DISCIPLINE, MUTUAL RESPECT AND ORDER
Tinubu also expressed disappointment that party discipline, mutual respect and order completely disappeared from the party.
“Order, party discipline and mutual respect went out of the window. Members instituted all manner of court cases, most of them destructive, some of them frivolous, none of them necessary. In the process, a dense fog fell upon our party.” he said.
4. 2023 PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION
The Former Lagos Governor also weighed in on rumours of a 2023 presidential ambition he harbours. He wrote;
“To those who have been actively bleating how the President’s actions and the NEC meeting have ended my
purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity. I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.”
“At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough.”
“During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face. I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do 3 years hence seems too remote given present exigencies.”
“Those who seek to cast themselves as political Nostradamus’ are free to so engage their energies. I trust the discerning public will give the views of such eager seers the scant weight such divinations warrant.”
“Personally, I find greater merit trying to help in the present by offering policy ideas, both privately and publicly, where I think they might help. I will continue in this same mode for the immediate future. 2023 will answer its own questions in due time.”
5. PERSONAL SACRIFICES
Tinubu called on party members to embrace making sacrifices for the good of the party.
“I have toiled for this party as much as any other person and perhaps more than most. Despite this investment or perhaps due to it, I have no problem with making personal sacrifices (and none of us should have such a problem) as long as the party remains true to its progressive, democratic creed. Politics is but a vehicle to arrive at governance. Good politics promotes good governance. Yet, politics is also an uncertain
venture.”
“No one gets all they want all the time. In even a tightly-woven family, differences and competing interests must be balanced and accommodated.”
6. NWC MEMBERS MUST SHEATH THEIR SWORDS
The Lagos Politician also called on aggrieved members of the now-dissolved party National Working Committee, NWC to unite and move the party forward.
“I appeal to all former members of the National Working Committee and all members of our party to sheathe their swords and look to the larger picture.”
7. SUPPORT BUHARI’S DECISION
Tinubu admonished members of the party to adopt and follow the President’s decisions for the party.
“The President has spoken and his decision has been accepted. It is now beholden on all of us, as members of the APC, to recommit ourselves to the ideals and principles on which our party was founded. While we recognize that people have personal ambitions, those ambitions are secondary, not sacrosanct.”
“Members must subordinate their ambitions to health and well-being of the party. Never should our party be defined by one person’s interests or even the amalgam of all members’ individual interests. A successful party must be greater than the sum of its parts.”
8. PREPARE FOR EDO, ONDO ELECTIONS
Tinubu also reminded party members about the upcoming Edo and Ondo State Elections. He asked members to come together in order to win both elections.
We have governorship elections around the corner in Edo and a primary and elections in Ondo. On these important events, we must concentrate our immediate energies. In the longer run, we must restore the collegial nature to the party so that it should be in the practice of coming to support the President instead of him having to rescue the party from itself.
“In Edo, we must rally round our candidate Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu. In this, Comrade Oshiomhole has a crucial role to play. I congratulate him for his equanimity and loyalty to the party and our President in accepting the dissolution of the NWC. I encourage him, now, to return to Edo State to energise the campaign for the election of Pastor Ize-Iyamu.”
“In Ondo, we must set the procedures for primaries and conduct that exercise in a fair, transparent manner that shows the Nigerian people the party has left turmoil behind.”
