The Interview Editors
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met with All Progressives Congress (APC) state governors and promised that the crisis threatening to tear the party apart would be resolved as soon as possible.
The governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu.
The Kebbi governor spoke with State House Correspondents after the meeting, saying that the session discussed amicable ways to end the crisis.
Bagudu, who said Buhari listened “attentively” to suggestions at the session, added that the governors also supported other key party stakeholders is calling for the convening of an emergency National Executive Council meeting of the party.
He added, “Today, Monday 22nd of June 2020, my brothers, the governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong, and my brother the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and myself, visited Mr. President.
“The reason for our visit is to discuss with him as our party leader as the leader that millions of Nigerians trust, to discuss party issues and the position of the progressive governors to support all steps to unify and bring about peaceful resolution in our party, the All Progressives Congress. Mr. President listened attentively and discussed with us as a father, as a party leader and he gave us all the assurance we needed to know that resolution of contentious issues will soon be arrived at.”
On the removal and replacement of the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom, and the protest at the headquarters of the party in Abuja on Monday, the governor said, “I think our party, the APC, is a party that believes in dialogue and contentious issues arise when you are dialoguing and we will recall that because of the sanctity which President Buhari attaches to constitutionalism, we held our national convention literally at the same time we are holding primaries.
“Mr. President has always said that we told Nigerians that our party is going to be a party of due process and we will do that no matter the challenges of the moment.
“So, young people expressing their views by demonstrating, members of the party challenging court processes, show that the people are free to express their views. And dissent is not to be suppressed. What is important is that all will be taken on board in arriving at a conclusion that will be to the satisfaction of most party members and indeed Nigerians.”
On why it had been difficult for the APC to convene a NEC meeting, Bagudu stated, “At all times, Mr. President has shown that he is a democrat, he is not running the party.
“Yes, he is the party leader, he allows party organs to do and decide what should be done. He is very hesitant to use his standing even as party leader, talk less of his authority as Mr. President of the country, to direct things, but at all times, he has been alive to the issue.
“I believe that whatever needs to be done, including the possibility of calling any of the organs of the party that is necessary for the resolution of lingering issues, will be done immediately.
“Let me again say that the party is never a perfect assembly. There will always be issues and that is why we talk, but yes certainly, organs of the party need to meet and Mr. President, without directing, is always supporting the necessity of party organs meeting appropriately.”
