The All Progressives Congress National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday said that President Muhammadu Buhari, by kicking against elongation of the tenure of the APC National Working Commitee (NWC), was steering the party back to the correct path.
Tinubu said this in a statement released by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman, in Lagos.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on Tuesday advised the party to dump the elongation of the tenure of National and State Executive Officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He told the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja on Tuesday that he had sought advice on the elongation, and had come to the conclusion that it was unconstitutional.
Recall that the APC, at its NEC meeting on Feb. 27, had decided to extend the tenure of members of National Working Committee (NWC) led by John Odigie-Oyegun by one year.
In his reaction, Tinubu said: “President Buhari’s action saves the party from serious legal turmoil.
”If the elongations were deemed illegal, then all subsequent party actions, including the nomination of all of our candidates for elective offices, might also be of questionable legality.
”Such a predicament would constitute an unnecessary and mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance to Nigeria.
”Moreover, President Buhari has affirmed for all to see that our party is one based on the rule of law coupled with a firm adherence to internal democracy.
”While it would have been easy to allow the ill-conceived motion of 27 February to stand, President Buhari showed principle and courage by steering the party back to its original and correct path.”
According to him, the President has spoken.
”Today is a good day for those who cherish democracy and legality.
“His action will also serve to strengthen the party by allowing party members, including present incumbents, to seek to contribute to the party by vying for executive offices as they see fit.
”His action will go far in advancing the process of internal reconciliation that is now underway, ” he said.
Tinubu said it was time for the party to move forward and begin to plan and organise the needed congresses according to the existing timetables.
”After all, a party bearing the name All Progressives Congress should be the last party to resist holding congresses in which all its people have a fair say and fair chance to aspire to any position in the party for which they are qualified to hold.
”Again, this is a good day for the APC and democratic political practice in Nigeria.
“We shun the politics of old to move toward a new and better way of governing ourselves and this nation,” he said.