Dr. Ahmed Lawan, President of the Senate, has said that the All Progressive Congress (APC) was determined to remain the vehicle for the emancipation of Nigeria, saying the APC-led federal government will not be distracted.
Lawan stated this yesterday while delivering a keynote address at the 2020 Conference organised by the APC Press Corps in Abuja.
The Senate President, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ola Awoniyi, said the ruling party understands the workings of democracy, through its aggregation of variegated interests, and how it has managed the interests.
He added that Nigeria had been on this steady path in the last two decades, stressing that the federal government will consolidate on this despite challenges.
Lawan opined that the task of consolidating on the gains of democracy was a painstaking effort which required sacrifice from leaders and patience on the part of followers.
He stated: “Though there are challenges but they are not always insurmountable. They are like the storm in the tea cup. They will always blow away, given our continued resolve to remain the vehicle for the emancipation of Nigeria. We have come a long way and will not be distracted.”
Speaking on how the party had managed its internal issues, the Senate President said the APC story was a story that wa founded on fostering understanding amongst a divergent interest.
He added, “It is the story of creativity and ingenuity in the management of difference. The APC story is a pacy story of brilliance in the administration of a plural system.
“It is a story that hallmarks how well democracy should flourish, for its adaptive capacity, and its potential as a lesson, and the possibilities it bears for the future.
“While we are talking about contestation therefore, we are referring to a competitive process that is not just healthy, but also reflective of a widely acceptable culture, an appreciated norm, and a predictable value system.
“Achieving this is not however a day job. It is founded on processes, growing to become beneficial, and helpful to social, and economic development.”
The Senate President noted that conscientious interplay of the two would eventually result into a rewarding outcome, considering that patriotism and nationalism would emerge therefrom.
Also, the Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, insisted that the membership registration, revalidation and update of the party aims at giving the party back to the people.
Akpanudoedehe said APC under the watch of Mai Mala Buni, as the chairman Committee was more interested in seeking solutions to identified problems and has initiated certain fundamental interventions to remedy intra-party conflicts.
He noted that disagreements within members of the same political party were basically witnessed during the leadership selection processes, whether for party offices (congresses) or during nomination processes for candidates or flag-bearers.
Akpanudoedehe said: “Where an aspirant loses in a free and fair contest, he is more inclined to accept the outcome of the contest, however where the process is flawed, the entire process becomes undermined and this leads to endless litigations between members of the same party and this affects the development of democracy.
“No man was born a slave, so resistance to oppressive tendencies is inherent in every human being. When pushed to the wall, he/she will fight back and oftentimes, the party will be distracted and this leads to avoidable loss of elections.
“These skewed selection processes could occur due to: The politics of god-fatherism: Where a certain strong man is allowed his way in return for patronage to the party or leaders of the party.
“Non-adherence to rules: Political parties such as ours are formally structured and organised organisations with rules that govern these processes, but any circumvention of such rules leads to chaos and issues must arise”.