… Move to probe party finances
BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
The newly elected National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, and his National Working Committee members on Friday received their certificate of return from the Convention Election Committee of the party headed by the Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.
Senator Adamu, who reiterated that the NWC has zero tolerance for failure, maintained that the party under his chairmanship will involve everyone who is ready to serve in the interest of the party to make sure victory is achieved in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
He stated that the NWC will look into the books of the party under the out gone administration and hoped they come out clean.
“As for you the director of admin, you have no hiding place. We will count on your loyalty to the party. It is in God’s pleasure that we are here at the helm of affairs of this party. We’ve come with a very very open mind but you have to reciprocate in same spirit.
“We will definitely by the will of God Almighty look at you at the Secretariat but am not saying anything today until the transition committee submit its report.
“It is my hope that by the time the report is submitted, you have what they call clean bill of ledger that’s my prayer. Right? My sister knows what I’m talking about.”
The chairman while thanking the convention election committee said, “To receive our certificates of election for the convention, I want to thank you very much for the job you have done.
“They say in my early lessons in English proverbs that I think one of the literature books, Animal Farm, said All animals are equal. But some are more equal than others. I say today all committees are equal, but some committees are more equal than others.
“But for the good job you managed to do with the convention, we won’t be here to tell this story to a matador until I take your job seriously just like any other committee, but you are involved in the main event. The convention is all about electing new officers for our great party. And you conducted yourselves, conducted your assignments in a very, very efficient, honest and very equitable manner as circumstances of the day permitted you to so do we appreciate you.
“Now we have the lawyers amongst us. Now we have locus right now we have our certificates. And even though the circumstances made it possible for us to start some skirmishes operation, but we haven’t gotten to the main substance of assignment as a working committee.
“Its not because we are waiting for the certificates. But it was one of the reasons because it’s what gives us credibility. In the eyes of APC members and the general public.
“We are grateful, there’s one thing which I want to share right away, you don’t win us today. You know, I saw this article winning, we are products of the convention and we will want to have you stay with us a bit so that we don’t behave as if we’ve known everything. Nobody knows everything. And there is still room to learn for those of you who have been in the defense of this party at the national level.
“I remember my sister, all those who are involved right through the first election 2015 election 2019 she was very much there. I remember you are among those controlling the control room, I remember when I brought the results of my state she was there with the Minister of works Fashola to receive our reports .
“These are people that have been working for this party from inception to date. I want to thank you and I want to bear this in my place. I don’t know, you’re all very busy persons who have not finished establishing our team. Whether they want to behave as if we have preempted the election itself. And the policy we’re going to put on it. So there are quite a lot of things that are there that we will need your expertise. You may not be coming to join us as permanent members.
“In our Secretariat, whatever assignments we may want you to undertake, especially some ad hoc responsibilities, be ready to handle it for us. Particularly in areas where you are now authorities as far as APC is concerned. So I hope because the two of you are here, with the two of you by the time I meet the totality or the bigger number of this kind of persons, we would be explicit and we will be talking to you particularly to talk to the Governance Forum through you to our chairman of the progressive governors forum.
“We will need your services from time to time and it is my hope that when we get to that point, whoever amongst you we call to please come and join us to get us over certain situations, we will find you ready partners. As for those of you who just received your certificate just like me, members of the working committee I’ve told you during our first meeting of the committee, I am a team player.
“I am a team player as much as is possible I want to carry everybody along with me. But to work with me, not because I’m the best, you have to be loyal. You’re loyal to me is not loyalty to me but loyalty to the party. You have to recognize the authority of the party. In all that we do, the interest of the party is paramount.
“You are lucky you around because we had agreed by Wednesday we are having our next meeting because we wanted the committee to give us a report we want to know where the party is exactly so that we don’t get taken by the exuberance of winning election and just plunge into the pond pool or not know how deep is the temperature of the water.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Convention Election Committee, Governor Badaru said, “As you are all aware, the convention of our party held from on 26th and ended on the 27th March when we did the swearing-in of the incoming chairman and the secretary of our great party. At that event we could have given the certificate of returns to them even before the swearing-in but as you are all aware that the night was well spent and the second day was a busy day.
“We certified the winners and agreed with Mr President to perform their swearing in that day on the 27th at least the chairman and the secretary. And we agreed to fix another day to issue them certificate even though they were certified publicly to the listening of all Nigerians. This is just to hand them the certificate, they will not just be announced on the podium there but they will also have certificate to show for their success at the election at the convention. Well, I use this opportunity to once more congratulate our chairman, also thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his guidance and his kind words and for his appeals to the party members to embrace consensus which has helped the election Committee to do their job smoothly and easily.
“As you are aware, there 78 positions for contest for the NEC members and the zonal executives. But from these 78 positions through consensus 66 positions which means that positions that were contested and elections conducted were 12. And this demonstrates the fact that the APC is indeed one family and the members will always listen to president Muhammadu Buhari and his call for peace and unity of the party.
“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 personal interests chose to withdraw to allow consensus to reign so that our party will 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. On behalf of the election committee of the 2022 APC convention, I present to you certificate of return, yourself first and the remaining for your members so that you can help us give to them. Mr Chairman sir,” he concluded
