The All Progressives Congress, APC Youths and Solidarity Forum have called on serving Minsters in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to resign before the forthcoming primaries of the party.
The youths in their thousands who besieged the APC Headquarters in Abuja today said the party is not the property of any individual.
Led by their Convener, Tobias Ogbeh, the youths said non resignation of such persons before the primaries could jeopardise the party’s presidential ticket.
Ogbeh said the youths cannot continue to feign ignorance to the attitudes of some vested interest in our party that have arrogated to themselves the powers to decide how to play the game in contravention of the rules of engagement as stipulated in the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
He said, “The last time we checked, the APC is not a personal property of a select few. Many of us in various capacities indeed contributed to the development and growth of the party over the years. It is insulting to our sensibilities when some persons whose contributions to the party can be counted with their fingertips are pushing the party towards the brinks.
“It is no longer news that the general elections in 2023 are well underway. As such, it behoves that the party should be adequately prepared at this point. But we are worried that all is not well within the party with regards to the provisions in Section 84(12) of the elections, which states thus:
“No political appointees at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
“As we all know, the Electoral Act has been passed into law, and one wonders why political appointees in government that have indicated an interest in contesting elective positions have refused to resign their appointments. They have held on like a birthright hinging their decisions on the ignoble role of the Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami” he said
He said as concerned stakeholders in the APC, the youths are appalled that such illegality would thrive, yet it pride themselves as progressives. Why is there a regime of selective judgment in the implementation of the provisions of the Electoral Act?
“What are the likes of the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emiefele, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, and Chris Ngige still doing in government? Are we saying these individuals are above the law or are exempted from the provisions of the Electoral Act? he asked
Ogbeh said the APC Youth Development and Solidarity Forum are pained that the APC is heading for the brinks, all thanks to the Kangaroo judgment secured by the AGF through a Federal High Court, which by all intent and purposes is meant to mislead Mr President and further plunge the party into a crisis of unimaginable proportion unless we want to feign ignorance to the fact that any arm of government could not usurp the powers of the National Assembly.
“It is unfortunate that the AGF, Abubakar Malami is hell-bent on misleading the party with its attendant consequences. The AGF must be reminded that as the custodian of the law, he must rise above sentiments in the interpretation of the law, at the risk of the country becoming a laughing stock nationally and internationally.
“We are using this medium to reiterate that Section 84(12) of the electoral Act is clear and unambiguous. Mr President should stop protecting a few influential individuals within the party to the detriment of the entire country. Such actions would be detrimental to the party’s electoral success in the 2023 general elections.
This is indeed a clarion call to the National Chairman of our great party and other members of the NWC to rise to the occasion to save the party from the calamity that is about to befall it through the actions of the AGF and other political appointees that have refused to resign their appointments in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
We hold the firm view that anyone with the country’s interest at heart should have no problem resigning and facing the call for higher service. Unless they have ulterior motives towards service, or maybe they think the only way they can achieve their aim is to use the resources and apparatus of government to their advantage.
Indeed the actions of the federal appointees that have signified interest in elective positions raise questions about their sincerity of heart and purpose. More worrisome is the fact that if this anomaly is allowed to stand, it would set a dangerous precedence and make a mockery of what the APC as a party stands for.
Why are these individuals holding so tight? Are they afraid of testing the popularity and goodwill in the polity? All state political appointees at the state level have complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act. The question thus is, why the Federal appointees?
“On this note, the APC Youth and Development Forum is calling on the CBN Governor Ministers and Federal Board members to do the needful and save the party’s neck. We conclude that these federal appointees are only clever by half and trying to play with the intelligence of Nigerians.
The leadership of the APC must not allow such to happen by insisting on full compliance by all Federal appointees to the provisions of the Electoral Act. The urgency of now requires that the APC as a party play by the rules of engagement. This would go a long way in saving the party from the horror of disqualification by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“The APC Youth Development and Solidarity Forum is making this passionate appeal to the party’s leadership with the best of intentions aimed at positioning the party for electoral success at the 2023 general elections.
While we trust that the party’s leadership under Senator Abdullahi Adamu would heed our appeal, we are confident that, indeed, justice shall prevail, and all aspirants will be availed of level playing ground. Charity must begin from home” he said
