Handing over: No more election failure in APC — Sen. Adamu
…Buni out, Adamu-led APC NWC assumes office
…Seeks support of committee members
…Vows to deal with division tendency
The newly elected National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu on Wednesday vowed that the party will not record failure in future elections.
This message was delivered as Adamu officially received the mantle of leadership of the party from Governor Mai Mala Buni, the immediate past APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Senator Adamu while addressing journalists said, “It is only through God that they emerged as the new National Working Committee of the party.
“A month ago, I didn’t know I would become the Chairman of APC. Here I am today, receiving the instrument and authority from the outgoing Chairman. Only God can do this; It is not my personal wisdom nor my charisma, It is not personal doing. There may be elements on the way but all these were made possible by the endorsement of Almighty God.
“I want to say on behalf of the new NWC that it is not going to be an easy time for us. We have a major event that is going to test the water but how stable we are as a party? That is the general election that is coming. For me, by the time, we start working, our main task will be how we handle the elections as a party.
“How will we win the general election? People are talking, oh! APC does not have an incumbent on the ticket. We will have the honour and the integrity and the legacy of the current president on the ticket.
“We will work day and night. We have less than 12 months to face the general election. So, everybody should buckle up. The little I have heard about the president is that he has complete allergy for failure. So, failure will not be in APC from today. We will work for success together. My colleagues who are with me, don’t begrudge me. If there is any issue, let me know.
“I promise you in the spirit of collective leadership that teamwork is the only way, I cannot deliver alone. What I am asking for is something called ‘loyalty.’ You have to be loyal, you must have one team. If you bring a division tendency, we will deal with it.
“This country is greater than any one of us. And this party is bigger than any single member of this party. So, that is the spirit I am taking the leadership.
“And we are expected to take off as soft landing like we have been given. This is the spirit with which we are going to work.
“And I want to appeal to you like I told you during my speech after the convention. I will be counting on you, You may have taken the cap off my head, there may have been some issues working in your brain. There may have been some work that you wish to do but pass it to me,” Adamu stated.
Meanwhile, Governor Buni while speaking earlier during the handover ceremony said the CECPC has recorded 70% success when taking over from Adams Oshiomole.
According to him, “Mr President whose support we enjoy to ensure that we reposition the party to what it is today. And to the entire membership of APC family and other leaders for various roles they have played in ensuring that this party is growing.
“I want to also add that as members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party, you have a herculean task. First, to sustain the gains and coming at a time when this party will soon start its nomination process. And obviously the task before you is enormous.
“We have done our best from the Registration to the Local Government Area. We have done the ward, local government, state and up to the convention. But that cannot be without problems here and there, by and large, we have succeeded.
“We can say we have recorded 70% success. A bigger and larger political party like APC with over 41 million members. Part of democracy is to agree and disagree at some points But it is all about human management, the ability to manage the situation is what will keep this party together and stronger again, and again.”
Buni advised the NWC to study President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech at the convention as its guide on how the party will move forward.
“You should study Mr president speech and that should be your guide. And also, I want to thank you most importantly for this opportunity all your efforts both individually and collectively for making our task easier throughout our stewardship.
“I hope and pray you will build upon where we stopped. Because APC as it is, we are all witness to what happened at the convention. One will say, it is unprecedented because the attendance and orderliness that has shamed the naysayers saying the party will implode,” Buni said.
