APC Gears Up for 2019, Convenes Second NEC Meeting in Two Years

Posted by Odinaka on Mon 30th Oct, 2017 - tori.ng

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled its caucus meeting and its national executive council meeting ahead of the 2019 general election.

President Muhammadu Buhari hosted key party members at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday.

For the first time since the ruling party took over power in 2015, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled its caucus meeting for Monday, and its national executive council meeting for Tuesday.

According to TheCable, the only NEC meeting of the party held in the midst of the crisis which broke out as a result of the emergence of the leadership of the 8th assembly where the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and speaker of the house of representatives, Yakubu Dogara, had emerged against the wish of the leadership of the party.

Although Buhari has not declared interest in 2019 general election, some of his loyalists have spoken.

On Friday, Ahmad Lawan, senate majority leader, said Buhari has no option but to seek reelection, adding that the ruling party has to put its house in order before the next election.

Also on Friday, Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of Nigeria customs service, said some of those who worked hard for Buhari’s emergence had not been compensated, and alleged that 50% of those in the current administration are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“When you come in, you shake off everybody and bring in your own. That is what democracy is all about,” he had said.

“Today, we have members of PDP calling the shots. That is what we will begin to fight for, we will fight for our right position, our vision and our mission for this government.

“I will, therefore, ask my colleagues of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) to go back to the study room. This is a commission, but it is also the beginning of the fight for good governance. We must get back to the trenches, draw our own battle plan and battle line.

“I enjoin you that the same commitment we had in 2015, I employ you to bear with us and commit yourself to a better future for Nigeria. We will be calling on you from now on and we will be working day and night.”

Meanwhile, the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, had emerged against the wish of the leadership of the party.

Among key party members who stayed away from that meeting were Bisi Akande, former interim chairman of the party, and Bola Tinubu, APC national leader and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.