Uzodimma: No plan to postpone APC convention — but Feb 26 not sacrosanct

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, says there is currently no plan to reschedule the convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) billed for February 26.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock villa, Uzodimma said the date may be changed if the party thinks it is necessary.

According to him, Nigerians should focus on how democracy can become “workable”, adding that citizens should support the government in power.

“That is the decision of the party and there is nothing wrong even if it doesn’t hold. What is important is that we must have our convention,” he said.

“We have said it’s 26th. If for any reason tomorrow, it’s not doable in the opinion of the party, we will move. But that does not mean that there is any intention to move.

“We shouldn’t worry about little issues. I think our focus and attention should be towards having a workable democracy in Nigeria like we have shown, supporting government policies and programmes and then being patriotic.

“Our democracy will do better if supported with the right attitude. You may not like my face, but the federal government is federal government; state government is state government.

“We should be able to exhibit a sense of nationalism and patriotism. We should be able to support the government that is in power. Today, the president, even though produced by APC, is president of all the political parties in Nigeria and the government of all the political parties in Nigeria.”

Uzodimma also described the APC as a democratic party.

“I think we should just watch because under the constitution of APC, buying form is one thing. We have three modes that we can adopt to elect our officers; either by direct primaries, by indirect primaries or by consensus,” he said.

“What if APC has adopted consensus and is not yet known to the public? We don’t need again to begin to sell forms and do that zoning or not zoning.

“We are democratic enough to know when to shoot and when not to shoot. I think you should just bring your people who have not joined APC to join the party.”

TheCable had reported how the ambition of Mai Mala Buni, chairman of the APC national caretaker committee, to remain in office is overshadowing the convention.