APC Young Stakeholders, APC Integrity Group call for emergency NEC meeting to resolve crisis
As crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) across many states continue to intensify, Young Stakeholders within the party and the newly formed Integrity Group of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have called for an urgent emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party to resolve the leadership crisis and challenges confronting it.
The stakeholders lamented that the party’s name and reputation that was heralded with so much hope and enthusiasm just a few years ago, is being dragged into the news media everyday in ridicule or all sorts of negative headlines because of the development.
In separate interactions with journalists the groups bemoaned the development, calling on the leadership of the party to act urgently before things goes out of hand.
While reading the resolutions of the stakeholders to journalists on Sunday in Abuja after its meeting, Mr. Ife Adebayo said that as members and stakeholders, they were forced to lend their voices to the ongoing crisis rocking the party, adding that those who ought to have nipped the crisis in the bud have, shockingly, either refused to or seem unable, for reasons that they can’t simply understand.
The stakeholders added that it was based on this that they decided that it was imperative to state their position and also suggest ways forward to end the current crisis in the ruling party.
It resolved that it would be meeting with other stakeholders and leaders of the party to see the possibility of reconciliation.
It added: “The party must as a matter of urgency call for an emergency NEC meeting-observing all the NCDC protocols as necessary to table and discuss all pending issues in the party.
“That NEC when convened, must clearly call for a National Convention as required by the constitution of the party as soon as feasible under the circumstances so as to ratify, reject or amend any law, structure or issue as agreed by it.”
The stakeholders also called on the party leadership to commence revalidation and new registration of members so that the party would have a harmonised register to enable it properly hand the party back to the people, and also ensure that the party can easily conduct direct primaries or congresses without the controversies and drama that usually come with it.
It equally noted that the party has two critical gubernatorial elections coming up in Edo and Ondo states in the coming weeks, adding that the party should be focusing on how to get votes under the current Covld-19 period and ensure victory, and not engage in petty squabbles.
It pointed out that the ruling party cannot go into those contests with a divided house, stressing that the painful cases of Zamfara and Rivers where judges handed victory to the opposition are still fresh in their minds and it cannot afford similar situations to repeat themselves.
Also speaking at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja, the spokesman of Integrity Group, Alhaji Abubakar Fakaip and Northwest National Youth Leader of APC said that the party was in critical leadership problem, stressing that the development is threatening the unity in the party.
He expressed concern over the crisis and challenges faced by the national leadership of APC, adding that if left unchecked, it can result to harming the foundation and structure of APC across the country.
Fakai explained that members of the integrity group comprised elected and appointed members of the party.
According to him, the group has set machinery in motion to critically look into the party constitution regarding the current situation, with a view to addressing them amicably.
He advised President Muhammadu Buhari, national caucus of the party and Progressive Governors Forum to take necessary action and decision to resolve the situation.
He also urged the National Working Committee of APC (NWC) to look inward and strictly adhere to its schedules and stop encroaching or abusing the power of the NEC.
