President Muhammadu Monday in Abuja declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019.
President Buhari made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the
National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to
recontest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give NEC the honour of
notifying them first.
Shortly before making the declaration, the President presented a
speech on the report submitted by the APC National Executive Technical
Committee.
His remarks:
REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT, FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE ALL PROGRESSIVES
CONGRESS NATIONAL EXECUTIVE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE 9TH APRIL, 2018
I am delighted to welcome you all to this very important meeting in
the affairs of our party and our country. I want to specifically thank
members of the Technical Committee for a job well done within the
limited time frame.
2. It shows a great sense of commitment to the ideals of our party
with a view to consolidating and positioning the party to continue
delivering good governance in the overall interest of Nigerians.
3. With the present state of the party and based on the report
submitted by the Technical Committee, It is important to focus on how to
move the party forward by avoiding actions detrimental to the interest
of the party. Considering that politics is a game of numbers, we must
not be a house divided against itself and must try to note, appreciate
and accommodate our differences as far as the law permits.
4. Upon my review of the Report, my position is to ensure that the
party tows the path of unity, legality and cohesion and not that of
division.
5. Therefore, I am stressing that we should strengthen our internal
democracy by organising the Party’s Congresses and Convention where
election of National Executive Committee members would be held. This
will automatically end the cases filed by members seeking orders of
Court compelling the party to hold its Congresses.
6. I also believe that the current executives should be free to vie
for elective positions in the party if they so wish as permitted by our
Party constitution.
7. However, considering the provision of Article 31(1)(iii) of the
APC Constitution which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking
re-election to resign from office 30 days before election, I am not sure
of the practicality of present serving officers’ ability to meet this
condition.
8. Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party
executives at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised from
participating in the elections should they wish to do so, provided this
does not violate our rules.
9. Necessary waiver(s) should also be extended to executives at the
Ward level whose tenures may have elapsed, and indeed to anyone knocking
at our doors from other political parties. This is in the spirit of the
Right to Freedom of Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
10. In this circumstance, the party should officially issue a
statement on the above Waivers so that our house may be full. We all
must not be ignorant of the times, and the journey that is ahead of us.
11. Just like our party symbol; “the Broom,” which typifies strength
in unity, let us strive to remain united in our purpose. Victory is sure
by the Grace of God, and together we must continue to sanitize
Nigeria’s political environment.
12. Once again, I welcome you all to this meeting with the hope that
we will, in our deliberations today, conduct ourselves without rancour
and promote the highest interest of the party and the nation.
Thank you.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
Media & Publicity
April 9, 2018
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