• Says party EXCO has Buhari’s mandate to deliver 2023 election victory
The new National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may soon commence a probe of the party’s National Secretariat, National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu hinted yesterday.
Adamu also said his team has a clear mandate from President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver victory to the party in next year’s elections.
The ex-Nasarawa State governor, who spoke after receiving his certificate of returns from the National Convention Election Committee led by Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru, said there would be no room for failure during his tenure.
He said clean employees at the APC national secretariat had nothing to fear about the impending probe, insisting that the party could not continue with the way things were.
“It is in God’s pleasure that we are here at the helm of affairs of this party. We have come with a very open mind, but you have to reciprocate in the same spirit,” he said.
“We will definitely, by the will of God Almighty, need to look at you. But I am not saying anything today until the Transition Committee submits its report.
“I hope that by the time the report is submitted, you have what they call a clean bill of the ledger. That’s my prayer. Right?
“We have zero tolerance for failure in this new dispensation of our great party.”
The chairman also asked party leaders and members to buckle up ahead of the 2023 elections.
His words: “We cannot move the way we are to the elections. We have a marching order from the leader of this party, President Muhammadu Buhari. We have to deliver. There will be no excuses whatsoever and we will need everybody’s hands on the deck for this to happen.”
Also speaking, Badaru urged the Adamu-led NWC to carry along all those who stepped down for them at the national convention.
He said: “So, we thank all the contestants for really behaving in a mature and understanding manner for the interest and progress of our party.
“They are heroes of our party. Despite their interests, they chose to withdraw to allow consensus to reign so that our party might come out stronger and stronger, and indeed this was what happened.
“I thank them and I believe they deserve all our commendation and the party will never forget them.”
He said that out of 78 positions in the NWC and zonal offices, 66 positions were returned through consensus while the remaining 12 positions were keenly contested and winners emerged.
Governor Badaru, with who were the Secretary of the committee, Hadeiza Bala Usman and her assistant Dr Sanusi Ohiare, later presented the certificates to the Chairman, National Welfare Secretary, National Financial Secretary and Deputy National Woman Leader.