Buni thanks Buhari for his support and lists the committee’s achievements in his farewell speech
All Progressive Congress Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee Chairman Mai Mala Buni said Saturday night that his team had achieved its goals.
Buni, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, said so in his farewell speech at Eagles Square, Abuja, the venue for the party’s national convention.
The governor was named acting chairman of the ruling party following the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adams Oshiomhole on June 25, 2020.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and his colleagues from the Progressive Governors Forum for their support.
Buni noted that his team has restored peace to APC state chapters where conflicts have been reported and brought incumbent People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors into the party.
He said: “Upon taking office, the committee embarked on a genuine and inclusive reconciliation process to give everyone a genuine sense of belonging, trust and reassurance in the collective ownership of the party.
“We first visited some key stakeholders to engage them in resolving disputes and other outstanding disagreements within the party. While some of these visits were made public, others took place out of sight and without media publicity. Likewise, we visited aggrieved leaders who sincerely shared their grudges with the committee. We spoke frankly to each other, placing party interests above personal interests.
“I am happy to report that these frank discussions have created new hope in the hearts of those aggrieved, so that those who left the party early came back, while those who considered quitting the party never left. .
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“However, when we started the mission, we realized that the problems on the ground had far exceeded our estimate of the time needed to resolve the huge problems that plagued the party. This rendered the initial six-month deadline largely inadequate, unrealistic and unachievable and, therefore, the need for a longer extension. Fortunately, for each expansion we have brought additional values with positive developments in the party.
“After reconciling important stakeholders, members and groups, the committee started the membership registration and revalidation exercise, being one of the mandates of the CECPC, to establish the numerical strength of the party for a planning and appropriate mobilization.
“The exercise gave our new members the opportunity to register as legitimate members of APC with equal rights, privileges and opportunities, as well as returning party ownership to members, using the bottom-up approach.
“I am pleased to report with satisfaction that the Membership Registration and Revalidation exercise recorded over 41 million members who registered with their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) details and photographs in passport. This unprecedented increase in membership from the previous 11 million registered members to over 41 million registered members gives the party the added advantage of winning elections in Nigeria with landslide victories.
“Mr. Speaker, Distinguished Members, Ladies and Gentlemen, APC under the Interim Committee has made history with an unparalleled record of high profile defections from the party. Three sitting Governors of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Eng Dave Umahi of Cross River State, His Excellency Dr. Ben Ayade and Zamfara State, Alhaji Bello Matawalle defected with millions of their supporters from the PDP to the APC.
“I am happy to add that the fortunes of the party have been further enriched with the defection of former Speakers of the House of Representatives, former National Chairman of the PDP, Member of the Board of Directors of the PDP, several distinguished and honorable senators members of the House of Representatives and State Assemblies, and several other heavyweights crossing all the geopolitical zones of the country.
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