AMIDST growing skepticisms in some quarters over the ability of national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restore peace, unity and cohesion among aggrieved members of the party, former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, on Monday rose in his defence, saying “APC cannot be allowed to wither away because of omissions or commissions”.
Akande, who was the former acting national chairman of the party maintained that “Nobody watches the child he birthed to die just like that. The responsibility to save the child comes suddenly upon the father. The APC cannot be allowed to wither away because of omissions and commissions. Times like this calls for sacrifice and service. Of note is the saying that a real man, a hero is known by where it stands in the time of adversity. Bola Tinubu, myself and President Buhari stand together in this effort to save APC from itself.
In a statement issued by the former governor titled “WHY BOLA MUST SERVE APC, a copy of which was obtained in Osogbo by our correspondent, he said “to avoid the journey to the undertakers, we have all agreed that prevention is often a wise counsel. More so for the APC, a party born out of necessity at a time Nigeria needed a lifeboat, a new lease of life. For the purpose it was birthed it succeeded in unseating an incumbent government. And for a higher purpose, it is working hard to succeed at good governance”.
The statement reads, “Nobody watches the child he birthed to die just like that. The responsibility to save the child comes suddenly upon the father. The APC cannot be allowed to wither away because of omissions and commissions. Times like this call for sacrifice and service. Of note is the saying that a real man, a hero is known by where it stands in the time of adversity. Bola Tinubu, myself and President Buhari stand together in this effort to save APC from itself”.
“Serving the nation has complex colours which constantly dazzle distant onlookers. The job at hand is not about Buhari. It is not about position sharing. It is not about ethnic nationalism. It is about the strength and the beauty of one’s deeds at one time or the other. It is about our party – the APC – Buhari or no Buhari”.
“Tinubu was a major participant in the emergence of APC! He must never be happy seeing it destroyed. Let APC be – no matter who may be lucky using it to gain power, make money, get famous – be such lucky ones born by Yoruba, Ibo or Hausa-Fulani. For as long as APC remains relevant, so long shall Bola Tinubu’s contributions to nation-building be magnified in Nigerian History”.
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“Guess. Those that are problematic or now crossing away from APC were not part of its initial making. They must have joined after wreaking their old parties and after the merger became recognised and approved by INEC with a view to merely using APC as a platform for positions. Let’s all join with Buhari and Bola Tinubu side by side to make APC stronger and more attractive for other generations to use as a vehicle for political emancipation”, the statement concluded.
and then