Ex-lawmakers write Buhari over APC crisis, call for national convention

The forum of former members of the house of representatives who belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for a national convention to resolve the ruling party’s ongoing crisis.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, the former lawmakers said the current crisis could make the APC lose future elections.

The APC has been embroiled in a leadership tussle after a ruling by the court of appeal affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole, its national chairman.

The forum said the crisis was one of the results of the “inability of the party leadership to manage and accommodate dissenting opinions within its ranks.”

It also blamed the crisis on “weak” internal conflict resolution mechanisms and the party’s “nonchalance towards timely intervention and resolution of internal party squabbles.”

According to the group, the immediate solution to the crisis would be for the president to call for a national executive council (NEC) meeting “to uphold constitutionalism in the midst of chaos and deep polarisation of the members of the NWC.”

“The NEC meeting will avail the members the missing thrust to resolve all pending knotty issues and discuss the way forward for the party,” as well as “to re-zone party positions and ratify key decisions, including certain appointments.”

Other measures the former lawmakers listed in the letter signed by Isa Bio and nine others on behalf of the forum, include: “All party organs must be inaugurated, vacant positions filled forthwith; a new reconciliation and membership drive committee should be set up to mend fences and expand the frontiers of the party to face future elections.

“The new party leadership shall play the key role of watchdog to ensure the government lives up to its campaign promises to bequeath enduring legacies and projects, besides holding it to account. Furthermore, it is imperative to reward loyal party members through patronage and appointments immediately, to calm the tensions, disaffection and dissident behaviours.

“The party should set up a constitution review committee to remove all ambiguities and strengthen its clauses, roles and functions of all organs of the party without delay, and if need be, specify sanctions for non-observance of those functions and requirements of law by the NWC.”

“Any national officer of the party must be appointed or elected on merit and competence, and must be someone with a national profile, non-controversial, well-accomplished in private and public services or must have held the position of at least a Commissioner or its equivalent in the state EXCO or membership of either the state or national assemblies.”

The forum said the measures will “restore the glory” of the party if implemented.

“Needless to say that progressive-minded Nigerians still have strong faith and trust in the APC, but the party must never allow its lingering leadership tussle and unhealthy rivalries erode that confidence,” it added.