Just as it was with the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday when its meeting to mend fences ended in a deadlock, the meeting called, yesterday, by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) between its governors and the party leadership ended in similar fashion, as it failed to reach a compromise on the commencement date for the 2023 election campaign.
Also, the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, yesterday, insisted on the party’s supremacy on matters relating to the flag-off of the nationwide campaigns of the party.
This position came against the backdrop of speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari would inaugurate the revised list of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) on Monday upon the return of the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu this weekend.
Recall that the PCC had released a 422-member campaign list, which plunged the party into crisis. APC had initially scheduled a peace walk and prayers on September 28, to officially kick-off campaigns for the 2023 presidential election before it was put off indefinitely.
This followed the expression of grievances by APC governors over the composition of the PCC released by the secretary of the council, James Faleke. As a result, Director General of the Campaign Council and Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, postponed the kick-off indefinitely, saying the move is to allow room for inclusion of more party chieftains.
Speaking yesterday at the opening session of the meeting, which started at 12 noon and ended around 5:10p.m., National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said APC would lose the 2023 presidential poll without the support of governors who are members of the party.
He said: “Being the chief executive officers of their various states, the onus of our great party lies in the hands of God and in their hands because they are the commanders of the party’s fortunes in their various states.
“We cannot make meaningful progress in the affairs of these states, particularly, in an election year that is approaching. We cannot plan without the buy-in of our governors so that we can stand together, believing that we share same aspirations.
“We will plan together to see how best we can deliver the interest of the party and ensure that victory is ours in 2023 general election that is by the corner. That is the essence of this meeting.”
Addressing newsmen after about five hour closed-door deliberation, Adamu assured that the party leadership had established machinery to resolve whatever issues they had, adding that the party will have the final say on the way and manner the campaigns would be prosecuted.
Asked when the ruling party would commence its campaign, he said the party would determine when the campaign will start, adding that they can’t run faster than their shadow.
He said: “Don’t be faster than your foot. Whenever you want to have something in a hurry, you may end up not having it. The fact of the matter is, we as a party, will determine when we will do what as long as it is within the framework of INEC’s guidelines.”
