Senate President Ahmad Lawan Speaks On APC Crisis
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has made known his position in the crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress.
Speaking on Sunday in Abuja spoke about the leadership tussle within the party, raising hope about its resolution.
Lawan spoke after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa.
According to him, ”I believe that we have to deal with these challenges, this is the ruling party with the president; with the control of the National Assembly; with more governors than any other political party.”
The leadership tussle emerged after the Court of Appeal suspended the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, affirming an interim decision of the lower court.
The party then announced Abiola Ajimobi, former governor of Oyo state, as the deputy national chairman to step in as acting chairman.
But Victor Giadom, the former deputy national secretary claimed the throne, citing a court order, made in March, when Oshiomhole was first suspended.
The party cited its constitution and to clear the deck of confusion, declared Giadom’s position vacant, by accepting a letter of resignation he tendered in 2018.
The Rivers state chapter of the party had since nominated his successor, as well as suspending him from the party.
Preparatory to Giadom’s suspension, the APC Rivers State got a court on order on Thursday, restraining Giadom from parading himself as the deputy national secretary of the party.
Lawan told newsmen that the situation should not, must not be allowed to degenerate further as ”the stability of APC is the stability of Nigeria; this is the party that is running the affairs of this country.
”So, I believe that we have to sort this out and that will make our work even better and easier when we have a stable party as the party is supposed to be part of the apparatus of running government.
”We are supposed to run or operate or implement or execute the manifesto of the party.
”And therefore the party is so key, so central, so essential to ensuring that government, whether on the executive or legislative side, continues to face those issues in the manifesto and of course the manifesto will be to make Nigeria better.”
Lawan challenged the leadership of the party across the country to make every possible effort to get the party reconciled.
He expressed optimism that ”by the grace of God in the next few days we will see certain actions will be taken and we are praying that all our leaders in the party across the country will make every possible effort to get the party reconciled”.