Amidst reports of an impending mass defection of aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the National Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the APC national chairman, Senator Abdulahi Adamu to plead with the aggrieved senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure the party’s majority control in the Senate is not threatened.
There were reports that no fewer than 22 APC senators have perfected plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, (LP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and others over grievances arising from the just concluded party primaries.
Buhari, who granted audience to some aggrieved APC senators on the outcome of the party primaries and its implications, assured them that machinery had been put in place by the National Working Committee to address their various concerns.
“I have noted your grievances particularly as it concerns the just concluded processes, the cost to the nation, the threat to the majority position held by our party in the legislative chambers and likely consequent cost to the electoral fortunes of our party as we approach the general elections. We must not allow these dire threats to come to pass
“I must acknowledge that in every contest, there must be a level playing ground just as there would be grievances at the end. That is the test of our democratic credentials, systems and practices. I have since the conclusion of the processes been inundated with various reports and complaints,’’ he added.
President Buhari in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari assured that the leadership of the APC, will sustain the hearing and healing process that it started to ensure fairness, justice and oneness before the 2023 general elections.
He said: “In keeping with our ethos, therefore, I shall continue to address the ensuing challenges and grievances through the party machinery while paying keen attention to the outcomes.
“I must also remind you of the primacy of justice in all our actions. If justice is denied, the outcome is usually unpleasant.
“This is because you are the members who keep the party running. I should add that as part of the policy of using the party machinery for effective resolution of conflict, the Chairman and some members of the National Working Committee visited the National Assembly recently to dialogue with our legislators.
“The leadership of the party is currently addressing the outcomes as part of the way forward. I am encouraging all the party functionaries to adhere to the truth and to be fair to all parties in any dispute,’’ he said.
President Buhari told the APC senators that the strength and victory of the party in the election will depend on the unity of members and the ability to prevent injustices or heal them, perceived or real.
