•Party: why convention date is June 23 •’Tinubu panel making progress’
THE endorsement of former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole by President Muhammed Buhari for the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman has not shut the door against other candidates from running, the party’s national convention committee said yesterday.
The party also said the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led reconciliation committee was working silently to reconcile aggrieved members.
It stressed that the level of crisis within the party is as a result of the interest of Nigerians in its affairs.
Addressing reporters in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the Media subcommittee of the Convention Committee and Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi said even though the party has decided to maintain the present zoning arrangement, every member of the party is free to aspire to any of the offices within the party.
The governor revealed that the shift in date of the convention from June 2 to June 23 was occasioned by the need to give every party member their constitutional right to free religious practice and not put undue stress on the Muslim members who are fasting.
He said: “I believe that, yes, the President has endorsed, but it doesn’t preclude other people from declaring to contest. It is a democracy and everybody is open to declare. I think everybody has a right to declare and once they declare, we go through the convention and we choose whoever won.
“So, it is very competitive and you will still see in the coming days some people will declare their interest.”
Ajimobi said: “Those who know the meaning of reconciliation must first of all realise that it is all encompassing and the Asiwaju’s committee is working quietly, reconciling people underground and working with everyone. You will see a lot of people moving round and talking quietly with the Asiwaju group. So, the reconciliation is ongoing.
“As human beings, from the beginning of our being in this world till the end, we must continue to reconcile. We must reconcile ourselves with the environment and reconcile ourselves with people. So, reconciliation is a work in progress. I believe the Asiwaju team is working very effectively and reporting to the President.”
On state congresses and the crisis and violence that has followed them, the governor said: “There might be violence here and there, it is interesting. You know, people value something that is very good. Anything of good value, people fight for it and it isn’t unusual to have people disagree over controlling and owning something.
“So, it is common with our party, it shows the level of democratisation that we have experienced, it also shows the level of how interested people are in the party and the democratic nature of our party. State congresses, yes; there have been reports of violence here and there, it will continue to witness reconciliation and this is what we are doing. I believe honestly that reconciliation should take place.
On while t”he party changed the date of the convention from June 2 to June 23, he said: “APC is a very considerate party. We believe that during Ramadan, many people should not be made to travel from their localities to Abuja.
“We felt that you could do state congresses, you could do local government congresses, you could do ward congresses in your area without travelling around. But coming all the way to Abuja by road, which takes minimum of 10 hours will be very hectic on people. So, we believe that we should not subject people to this and honestly speaking, we decided that we do the shifting to June 23.
“If it were to be during the lent, we will do the same thing because our party is made up of Christians and Moslems and I do not know those who are pagans. If they have their own fasting season, we would have shifted it for them too.”
The governor added that the party “would also want Nigerians, who gave us overwhelming support in 2015, to know that in line with our tradition of excellence and transparency, the convention will be open to all aspirants who are deemed qualified in line with the convention guidelines, to vie for positions they are interested in.
“To this effect, we have also introduced measures to ensure adequate representation for special interest groups such as women, youths and people with disabilities…
“We are confident that we will have a very successful National Convention, which, at the end of the day, will unify our party; make us stronger and put us in a better position to further fulfil our electoral promises.” (The Nation )
