TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to be good examples to others as the party prepares for its primary elections.

Buhari said this while speaking at the party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

The president said the primary elections must be in compliance with the constitution.

“As we stand on the threshold of party primaries, I urge all and sundry to ensure that we play the game according to the rules. Let us come out with free, fair and credible primaries which will be precursor to free, fair and credible general election next year,” he said.

“Let us shine the light through our primaries and the rest of the country will find the way. Our primaries must be in complete compliance with the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the electoral act and above all the constitution of our party, the APC.

“The times in which we call for unity, harmony and togetherness, let us all join hands to move our party forward, we must take our party to the next level and I urge all and sundry to give support to our national working committee.”

Buhari said party’s structure was not affected by those who left.

“Despite reconciliatory attempts to keep the house together some members were hell bent on pulling down the roofs. They left plotting to go along with scores of people this upsetting the party,” he said.

“But due to yeoman’s work by the able party leadership, the exit barely made attempt in our super structure as they could not muster the figures they had envisaged to cause an upset, particularly in the two chambers of the national assembly.

“APC remains in control and increases by the day with quality people joining our fold. I say congratulations to the new members. Hope is rekindled in our hearts that we will give our country purposeful leadership that will improve the quality of life of the people.”

On his part, Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the APC, said those who left the party did so for personal ambitions.

“The decampees felt it will be a huge blow to our party but I repeat those that left for personal ambition, those with no political address, migrant politicians and Rolling Stones politicians, I won’t lose my sleep. Many felt my comments were arrogant but we needed to be blunt,” he said.

“Those who have grievances arising from genuine misunderstanding our responsibilities is to help our party to have common ground and genuinely resolve those issues and we have been trying our best to do so can be arrested to by those that have remained.

“We have purged ourselves of excess fat that will clog our veins and we are much more certain of our future.”