National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged members of the dissolved National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress to sheathe their swords, urging them to look into the larger picture.
He also appealed to other aggrieved members of the APC to accept the sacrifice they have been asked to make, noting that all energies must now be concentrated on the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States.
The former two-term governor of Lagos State made this statement in a press release personally signed by him today, 27, June, 2020.
According to the statement, “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.
“In this vein, 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.
“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.
The stalwart of the ruling APC also told former NWC members to be free to seek re-election when the time for convention comes, saying they remain eligible.
He also urged party members who are aggrieved at the decision of the NEC to make sacrifices, noting that it is only then that the party could assume its proper role of developing the nation.
“As I understand it, no one has been precluded from seeking any party office to which he is otherwise eligible. Former NWC members are free to seek re-election to the NWC. Provided they have the support of party members, they will have an opportunity to return to serve the party in a leadership capacity. This reflects our overriding desire to restore and maintain internal democracy not subvert it.
“My fellow party members who now feel aggrieved by the NEC meeting I urge you to accept the sacrifice you have been asked to make so that the air can be cleared, the party can assume its proper role of helping this government lead the nation toward enlightened improvement, and the party itself can grow and firmly establish itself as the best, most democratic party in the land.
