President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met with leaders of the National Assembly led by President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
The meeting came less than 48 hours to the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to hold on March 26.
During the meeting which held at the state house, the president urged the leaders of the national assembly as well other stakeholders in the party to stick with the zoning arrangement adopted by the party’s the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Recall that APC had announced its zoning formula wherein it zoned the office of its National Chairman to North Central and the office of the National Secretary of the party was zoned to South-West region.
However, it was gathered that despite the zoning, some members of the party who are not from North-central are still aspiring for the chairmanship post of the party.
Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, defied the zoning arrangement to purchase the N20 million form for the office.
Recall that until few days ago, former governor of Borno State, Ali-Modu Sheriff, was aspiring to become the national chairman of the party.
Meanwhile, Buhari has weighed in by calling on all stakeholders of the party to uphold the zoning decision.
The president also urged the leaders of the national assembly to avoid distractions and to channel their energies into improving the fortunes of the party in the forthcoming elections.
Buhari also emphasised that as the National Convention draws close, members cannot afford to do anything that will jeopardize the chances of the party in the 2023 General Elections.
This was also contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
Shehu wrote: “It is imperative that we adhere to that template. The time available to us is limited and I, therefore, enjoin you to collaborate with the various stakeholders within and outside your respective states and zones to agree to work together and harmoniously in electing into the allotted positions appropriately, as stipulated in the provided template.
“This will not only produce a smooth process and limit friction but will enhance the image of the party positively and strengthen our overall position of dominance in the political space.
“The limited time frame of the INEC timetable does not permit us any room for delay or further squabbling. We must therefore in the light of this reality consistently keep our eyes on the ball and refuse any distraction.
“A critical segment of our national democratic process is the National Assembly. Being representatives of our people from all over the country, the National Assembly especially the 9th Assembly has exhibited a commitment to a peaceful democratic process in its conduct and utmost maturity in its relationship with other arms of government. I commend you, the leadership for this success.
“Distinguished Senators and Honorable Members, we have an obligation to conduct the upcoming convention in a manner that not only fortifies the unity of our party but also improves the prospects of our electoral fortunes in the 2023 general elections. You have an important role to play in ensuring that this happens.”
