By; SUNDAY ODE, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday night cautioned the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against what he called short cuts and illegal manoeuvres as the party braces up to its Congresses and primaries.
The President who spoke at the national caucus meeting of the ruling party held at the presidential banquet hall in the State House, Abuja said it was only when the party respected its rules that internal democracy could be guaranteed and electoral success assured.
Accordingly, he said the constitution of the party should not be compromised under any circumstance in the election of its officials and in the conduct of primaries.
He said: “I must state at the out set that to succeed we must in all our actions and decisions follow strictly the constitution of our party. It is easy to forget that we succeeded a government with a record of unprecedented theft and systematic mismanagement.
“Now that INEC has come out with the timetable for elections in 2019, the Party should prepare itself for congresses at a. Wards, b. Local Governments, c. States and d. Centre.
“We should strictly follow the constitution of the Party in undertaking these party elections. We should ensure internal democracy and avoid short cuts and illegal maneuvers which have characterized the opposition party with the consequences that they are now divided.
“The APC has a history of conducting free and fair primaries whenever consensus about any candidacy is not reached. Regardless of the outcomes of the primary processes, it is imperative that we all work together to ensure the victory of our party.”
President Buhari also charged the party chieftains on the need for sustained unity in the party particularly in view of the coming general election.
He pointed out that the sacrifices and unity of purpose that earned the APC huge success in the 2015 general elections were more needed now that ever.
He therefore called on all party members to lend their unconditional support to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led reconciliation committee he had appointed.
” I now turn to the party differences in various states. To this end, I have appointed a committee, headed by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a leader of the Party, to reconcile differences in various states. We hope the committee will be given maximum support and cooperation to enable it to satisfactorily carry out its work and get the party united in purpose and in shape for the battles ahead,” the President said.
