Former members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress believed to be loyal to Adams Oshiomhole, the suspended National Chairman of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and Mushibau Lawan, have lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders for summoning the party’s National Executive Committee meeting aimed at ending the crisis rocking the party.
The declaration of loyalty to President Buhari comes after 18 members of the NWC issued a statement against the Buhari-backed NEC meeting called by Victor Giadom in the capacity of the acting National Chairman of the party.
In the statement signed by Hillard Eta and W. Bulama as Acting National Chairman and Acting National secretary, they condemned Buhari’s support for the meeting and threatened to head to court.
But Issa-Onilu, the immediate past APC National Publicity Secretary, and Lawan, former leader of physically challenged persons, who described themselves as law abiding party men, said they accepted the decision of NEC.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari along with the APC NEC had on Thursday dissolved the party’s NWC.
Issa-Onilu, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, declared his support for the actions taken by the President and other party leaders
He said: “I was the spokesman of the party and it was a privilege to have the opportunity to serve under the governing party of a government led by President Buhari.
“However, by this statement, I am speaking in my personal capacity and not for anyone or group.
“I have reflected on the events of the past few days and the outcome of Thursday’s NEC meeting and as a party man, I declare my support for the actions taken by Mr. President.
“Like the president said, the party was ominously hanging on a cliff and as expected, something had to give way because the APC could not have continued along that obvious path of destruction.”
Issa-Onilu called on every party member to rally round the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
Issa-Onilu described Buni as an experienced party administrator and other eminent members of that committee as compatriots embarking on the process of rebuilding the party to greater heights.
“Ours must be a party that is strong and truly progressive; one that can provide our government the support it requires to deliver more dividends of democracy,” he said.
Lawan, who also described himself as a law abiding party man, said he accepted wholeheartedly the decision of the President and leaders of the party.
He said: “As a former member of NWC, we have no option rather than to respect the will of our President, the will our leaders.
“As a law abiding party man, I accepted wholeheartedly the decision of the Mr. President and our leaders of the party.
“And I want to use this medium to congratulate Mai Mala Buni and all members of the APC Caretaker Committee.
“I pledge my loyalty to the wish of government and wish of my party.
“I want to categorically say that on behalf of the people with disabilities in this country, we are privileged to be given opportunity to serve in a ruling party.
“And I want to believe that we did not let our members with disabilities down and we did not let the government down.
“We have done all our best to ensure that our party got the desired result in the past elections.”
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