The Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress ays it plans to embark on immediate reconciliatory processes among aggrieved members of the party at all levels.
Buni said this on Monday at a swearing in of the committee members at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
He described the crisis affecting the party in the last few months as internal disagreements, which were common in all political associations.
He said: “What happened to us as a party in the last few months is not totally strange in a big political party like APC.
“Internal disagreements are common in all political parties.
“So ours is not an exception.
“It is time for this committee, therefore, to commence the process of true reconciliation among leaders and members of the party at all levels.
“It is our believe that the decision by National Executive Committee to constitute this committee will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our great party.
“To achieve this, I urge all party members to heed to the appeal by our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, on his call to all aggrieved members who have instituted various cases in the courts to please withdraw such cases in the interest of our great-party.”
According to him, change is inevitable and disagreement on issues and concepts are integral part of human and institutional relationship.
Buni said: “As a political party built on strong ideology and parading men and women of enduring principle and integrity, we must prepare for real and anticipated changes and their consequences.
“The outcomes of changes that evolve in our party politics must be decided by us.
“As the interim managers and leaders of our party, our priority would be the recognition of the need to act appropriately and acceptably in the overall interest of the party.”
He said the committee’s actions in the next few months would be proactive and responsive.
Buni added: “From now onward, we will concentrate on medium and long term development of our strategies and internal organisation to support our public standing as well as our chances of electoral successes in all future elections.
“This is the time for us to focus with determination to create adaptive institutional capacity to weather the current divisions in our Party,” Buni said.
He called on the party leaders and members to put their grievances behind them and strengthen themselves for all current and future challenges.
He said: “We will not be here today repositioning our party if not for the timely intervention of our indefatigable leader, the President, and members of the NEC.
“We are totally grateful to the President and the NEC members for this wisdom that brought the impasses to an end.”
The immediate past acting National Chairman of the party, Victor Giadom, assured that with the calibre of people in the committee, it was certain that it would pilot the affairs of the party into the National Convention.
Giadom also called on immediate past members of the National Working Committee to learn from their mistakes and join hands with the caretaker committee to strengthen the party.
He said: “I’m grateful to God, the President and party leaders for rescuing our party from what would have fallen it.
“Today, our party has been repositioned to greater height and I can assure you that with the calibre of people so selected by the NEC, the committee will pilot the affairs of this party into the National Convention.
“I feel indeed grateful and reassured that our party will remain strong and come out from the crisis, which we were all in in the past few months, better than where we were before.
“I’m more grateful to the members of our party and decision of NEC.
“All immediate past members of NWC should be able to learn from their mistakes, including my humble self, to join hand with the caretaker committee to see how they strengthen the party.
“The party is bigger than all of us.
“So, it is our collective responsibility as former members of NWC to work hand in hand with the committee to see to its success.
“APC is a larger family and every family, there is bound to disagreement and what is important is ability of the family to come to agreement.
“Today, with the formation of caretaker committee, we are close to agreement and I’m sure this committee will do the needful and our party will become stronger.”
The ceremony was performed by APC Deputy Director, Legal Department, Dare Oketade, who read the oath of office to the committee members.
Members of the caretaker committee and extraordinary convention planning committee headed by Buni include Governor Isiaka Oyetola of Osun (South West) and Senator Ken Nnamani (South East).
Others are Stella Okorete (Women Representative), Governor Sani Bello of Niger (North Central), Dr. James Lalu (Physically challenged), Senator Abubakar Yusuf (Senate), and Akinyemi Olaide (House of Representaives).
David Lyon (South South), Abba Ari (North West), Prof. Tahir Mamman (North East), Ismail Ahmed (Youth leader) and Senator Akpan Udoedehe as Committee Secretary.