‘Don’t give party tickets to highest bidders in 2023,’ Buhari warns APC leaders

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday night urged the new National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the party primaries are not influenced by “highest bidders.”

The President made the call at the party’s national convention in Abuja.

He urged the APC leaders to always promote internal democracy and equal opportunities for all members of the party.

Buhari also charged politicians and the electorates to abide by the new Electoral Act and enhance transparency in the country’s electoral process.

He stressed that his recent intervention in the affairs of the party was not intended to muzzle dissenting voices.

The President said: “Recently, l had cause to intervene in the leadership crisis which was about to cause confusion in the party.

“Such internal disputes are common in young democracies such as ours, but we must avoid overheating the polity and not allow our differences to tear and frustrate the party.

“Like I said earlier, it does not do anybody or the party any good, when we, as leaders, go down so low and resort to backstabbing and name-calling in the media.

“We should learn how to resolve our differences without jeopardizing our personal relationships and the fate of the party.

“I want to thank the Progressives Governors’ Forum for heeding to my advice and suggestions in settling the leadership dispute.”

READ ALSO: Defections from opposition mean APC can win elections with ease —Buhari

He commended the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee for steering the ship of the party this far.

President Buhari added: “I want to congratulate us all for being part of this history making event and to specially appreciate the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) which has been on a rescue mission under the leadership of Mai Mala Buni, the Yobe State Governor.

“I am glad the party under the Caretaker Committee has bounced back to life with the reconciliation of several key and critical stakeholders and groups who had hitherto left the party or were on the verge of leaving the party.

“The reconciliation process gave the aggrieved stakeholders a true sense of belonging and assurance.

“It is gratifying that the party recorded massive and unprecedented defections under the Caretaker Committee’s administration.

“APC received three sitting Governors, a Deputy Governor, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and State Assemblies, and other key officials from opposition parties who defected along with millions of their supporters.

“I am impressed to learn that the membership registration and revalidation exercise undertaken by the Caretaker Committee has recorded over 41 million members.

“This has proved that we are indeed Nigeria’s leading and largest political party.

“It also exhibits our numerical strength and the potential to win elections at all given times fairly and squarely.”

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