By KINGSLEY JOSHUA, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to urgently intervene to safe the implosion of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 26 February National Convention of the party.

According to a group, Concerned APC Members Forum, the call became necessary “judging by the activities of the various actors” vying for the National Chairmanship position of the party.

A statement signed by the group’s Convener, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, appealed to President Buhari “not to allow the selfish interest of the 2023 Presidential ambition of some ranking members to destroy the Party.”

The statement disclosed that it wants “Mr. President to recommend a highly committed and disciplined member, a man of humility and resilience with acute knowledge of Party administration that will respect both former and serving Governors, Senators, Ministers, party faithful, and of course, the Leaders of our Party.

This will go a long way in reducing internal crisis in the Party, controlling the expenditure of some aspirants, and solving the problem of reconciliation after the National Convention.”

While reminding the President of the danger of an internal crisis ahead of the party’s primary election coming up immediately after the Convention, the Forum pointed out that “the need to minimize our crises and concentrate on the 2023 general elections is very important.”

The statement also recalled the APC’s internal zoning arrangement, emphasizing that the President should consider it in recommending a consensus a candidate for the National Chairmanship.

“We advise Mr. President to look into the records of the various individuals aspiring to lead the Party, owing in mind the internal zoning arrangement of the Party which is in North Central Nigeria.

We recommend Mr. President call a meeting of all the aspirants for the National Chairmanship position and hand over the preferred candidate to them, instructing an all-inclusive government. This will immediately heal any injury in the heart of any and the course of explanation to his supporters while he stepped down,” it insisted.

This is as it went on to state that President Buhari is “the only reason the Party is formidable, dependable, and reliable. Your integrity and sincerity remain the Pillar holding the Party together since the 2015 general elections.

Sir, we make bold to say that our Party has been in crisis since we won the 2015 Presidential election. This crisis came as a result of a rewarding system where a monkey has worked and the baboon is eating. Most members of our Party are complaining of government patronage while some persons are occupying more than one position in government.

On June 22nd, 2020, we led a protest against the then National Working Committee of our Party led by Comrade Adams Oshomhole calling for National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the Party and recommended the dissolution of the then Working Committee.”

Accordingly, the Forum pointed out that “the NEC was converged and our request was granted by the NEC headed by Mr. President which brought in the Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker /Convention Extraordinary Planning Committees with the initial tenure of six months.

By November 6th, 2020 we realized that the Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker/Convention Extraordinary Planning Committee also failed to deliver on its mandate which is to reconcile aggrieved members and organize convention by December 2020.”

It therefore asked the President to “call a meeting of all the aspirants for the National Chairmanship position and hand over the preferred candidate to them, instructing an all-inclusive government. This will immediately heal any injury in the heart of any and the course of explanation to his supporters while he stepped down.” (Sunday Independent)

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