The All Progressives Congress (APC) is reaching out to all its members in the incoming 8th national assembly who may be aggrieved after Saturday’s emergence of the party’s official candidates for the four topmost offices of the assembly.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its national secretary, Mai Mala Buni, the party said it was “natural for some members to be disappointed by the outcome of the straw poll that was conducted to select the party’s official candidates for the post: Senator Ahmed Lawan for senate president and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for speaker, house of representatives”.
“However, we must put the interest of our party above personal interests and avoid a situation whereby any other candidates, apart from those picked by the party, will emerge as senate president and house speaker on Tuesday,” it said.
“Any outstanding issues will be resolved by the party so we won’t go into Tuesday’s election with more than one candidate each for the two posts, senate president and speaker, house of representatives.”
Advertisement
APC added that it would be a shame if, despite its majority in both chambers of the national assembly, the APC was unable to produce a senate president and a house speaker of its choice.
The party explained that its role in the entire business of ensuring a common front within the party ahead of Tuesday’s election was that of an honest broker, saying its goal of ensuring that the party does not go into the election with more than one candidate for each post has now been achieved.
It appealed to all aggrieved members to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign, in the overall interest of not just the party but the entire nation.
Advertisement
On Saturday, APC picked Ahmed Lawan as its sole candidate for the post of senate president and Femi Gbajabiamila (pictured) as sole candidate for that of speaker of the federal house of representatives ahead of the election proper by the national assembly on Tuesday.
But the mock elections were dogged by dissent from the losing camps, whose candidates Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, boycotted the voting processes.
2 comments
Are the chickens coming home to roost so soon?
Your comment..National interest always override political party leaders. So let gain clear view from the election of Aminu Tambuwal as speaker and what had happen to members choosing senator Bakola as Senate President and Dogara as Speaker. Otherwise APC leadership may remain dormant. It is good moves by VP Atiku extending sound political experience to both 2 houses role of choosing their leadership NOT political party.