[UPDATE] APC leadership crisis: Solution in sight ― Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that solution is in sight as regards the leadership crisis currently rocking the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

This is following the meeting held by the President with governors of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and State Chief Executives.

The meeting, which took place in the President Office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja was attended by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong and Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.

The meeting followed the president’s Sunday’s evening meeting over the same issue with Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who had hinted that Buhari would soon lead a push for the settlement of the crisis within the next few days.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, Governor Bagudu, who spoke on behalf of the others stated that the meeting held with the president was to apprise him on the position of the APC governors as regards the crisis.

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He revealed: “Today Monday 22nd of June 2020, my brothers, the governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong and my brother, the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and myself visited Mr President, President Muhammadu Buhari

“The reason for our visit was 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 and Mr President listened attentively and discussed with and he gave us all the assurance we need to know that resolution of contentious issues will soon be arrived at.”

Answering questions on why the president was delaying his intervention amid calls by some members for the ruling party to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to resolve the crisis as demanded by some members, the Progressive Governors boss explained that Buhari was only living up to his promise to be democratic.

However, Bagudu stressed the need for party organs to meet to address its contending issues.

The Progressive Governors Forum Chairman 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.

“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.

On the removal and replacement of the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom, and the protest at the headquarters of the party on Monday, Badaru averred: “I think our party, the All Progressives Congress (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 because 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 challenge of the moment.

“So, young people expressing their views by demonstrating, members of the party challenging court processes shows 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.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE