Tinubu Acknowledges Party Friction, Urges Calm and Reconciliation within APC
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during his address at the 13th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), acknowledged the rising discontent within his party and appealed for calm among aggrieved members. As the leader of the party, he emphasized the importance of reconciliation, instructing the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to continue its efforts to resolve internal conflicts.
Tinubu stated, “The national working committee is doing a good job and I am happy with them. In all the various states, let us set up reconciliatory committees to liaise with these aggrieved leaders. I am appealing to them, please be calm.”
In his opening remarks, the APC National Chairman, Ganduje, assured the party leadership that the ongoing reconciliation process was yielding positive results, with high-level dialogues taking place among party leaders and stakeholders to resolve long-standing differences.
Despite this, the meeting was notably missing several statutory members of the NEC, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and prominent party figures like Rotimi Amaechi, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and Dr. Kayode Fayemi. In response to questions about their absence, APC National Public Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed concerns, stating that such meetings rarely have 100% attendance and that all members were duly invited.
Morka also addressed criticism from former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s internal organs. He countered that El-Rufai’s comments were driven by personal grievances and stressed that the party’s organs were functioning well.
At the meeting’s conclusion, the APC NEC passed a vote of confidence in both President Tinubu and Ganduje, commending their leadership. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who moved the motion for Tinubu’s vote of confidence, highlighted the President’s efforts in improving security and the economy, particularly in reducing food prices. Tinubu, in turn, thanked the party for its continued support, vowing to sustain the progress made under his administration.
Ganduje, in his address, detailed his achievements, including the party’s reconciliation initiatives, the establishment of the Progressives Institute, and the challenges posed by inherited legal liabilities amounting to nearly N9 billion. He appealed to the NEC for assistance in resolving these financial burdens.
