President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will emerge victorious in the 2023 presidential elections.
Buhari said this on Sunday when he met with some select stakeholders in the APC including the current National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu; the National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore; and some governors elected on the platform of the party.
During the meeting, Buhari declared that the series of consultations held so far is an indication that the party is on the right path to remain in power beyond 2023.
In his words, “I am optimistic that the outcome of this consultation with the National Advisory Council will in addition to sharpening our focus, help to fortify the positive democratic principles, practices and culture that already exists within the party system.
“In the course of these consultative processes, I have already met separately with the Progressive Governors and with all our eminent members who are aspiring to become the Presidential flag bearer for our party during the 2023 elections.
“I am pleased to inform you that those meetings have been fruitful and indicative of a party that is prepared and marching towards a third straight victory since 2015, at the presidential polls.
“I underscored the important roles consensus building and consultation have played in the survival of successful political parties around the world, adding that our party should not be an exception.
“Recognizing the foregoing, therefore, I also emphasized the need to strengthen our unity, stabilize our internal cohesion and system as well as present a formidable Presidential candidate who has the ability to build a unified nation and the capacity to deal with our challenges.
“The party machinery has also screened all our aspirants to the office of the President and found that they consist of eminent personalities, rich in experience, capacity, commitment to service and accomplishment in life. This gives us a lot of confidence but it also comes with its challenges.
“In order to prevent any post-convention acrimonies and also reduce noticeable anxiety among members on the possible outcome of the process, the party leadership has recommended the intensification of consultation and consensus-building to reduce the number of aspirants as it approaches the convention, which commences Monday, June 6, 2022.
“In order to further support the efforts of the party, I admonished the aspirants to consult among themselves and with the party, so that the objective of the recommendation by the leadership would be actualized.
“As members of the National Advisory Council of the APC, I recognize the fact that they all have diverse interests, spheres of influence and expectations. You similarly possess the collective ability to ensure our victory at the 2023 polls by strengthening the stability and unity of the party.
“My charge and appeal to all of you, therefore, is to reach out to your various spheres of influence to actively promote the spirit of consultation and consensus-building so that a formidable candidate for the 2023 Presidential elections would emerge from the convention. Our citizens do not expect less from us.”
“I assure as he did to the Governors and the aspirants, that in the interest of the nation and the party, I would lead the transition processes and ongoing consultations till we successfully choose our candidate for the 2023 presidential elections and record our third straight victory, thereafter, by God’s grace,” he added.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that while the convention is expected to begin on Monday (today), the primary itself will not take place until Tuesday.
The programme of events sighted by The New Diplomat showed that the convention ground will be opened at 10am while election is expected to commence from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesday after while the counting will be from 9pm to 10pm. The candidate is expected to deliver his acceptance speech from 10pm to 10.15pm.
