Mr Salihu Lukman, the Director-General, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), has called on the APC Caretaker Committee led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, to implement a five-reconciliation and peace-building agenda.
Lukman made the call in a letter entitled: “Appeal for Reconciliation and Peace-building in APC” addressed to the party Caretaker Committee Chairman, in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that the agenda was imperative to the party’s activities in order to bring about a new atmosphere of peace.
According to him, this submission is being made against the background with the appeal to the APC Caretaker/Convention Working Committee to take every necessary step in order to achieve reconciliation and peacebuilding in the party.
The PGF director-general listed some of the steps to include: “Encouraging internal debate without intimidating members who hold divergent/dissenting views from those held by leaders.
“Leaders should be accommodating to criticism; convening a dedicated session of the National Caucus to review 2019 General Election, including Kogi, Bayelsa elections and now preparations for Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“Convening a NEC meeting to consider and approve proposed activities of the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee up to the Extra Ordinary National Convention.
“Commencing processes of Membership Recruitment/Verification, leading to Reformation of Leadership of the party from Wards, Local Government, States to the Extra Ordinary National Convention.
“Setting up Constitutional Review/Amendment Committee, which should be able to submit proposals for review/amendment of the APC constitution.”
According to him, these are very important steps that will assist to reposition the party, so that everything is not reduced to just about electing new leadership.
“In the unfortunate event that everything is reduced to just electing new leadership, there will be the high probability that the party will gradually snowball into another round of leadership crisis, especially as we move toward 2023.
“It is in the light of these issues that a strong appeal is hereby presented to the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee to take every step required to achieve reconciliation and peacebuilding in APC,” Lukman said.
According to him, this should be done through initiatives that will strengthen the powers of the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee to bring about a new atmosphere of peace in the party.
“In the end, the Extra Ordinary National Convention of the APC should produce a strong understanding among our leaders on required actions needed to institute new frameworks for stronger internal democracy within the APC.
“This will be necessary to make leadership reconciliation in the party a permanent feature in the activities of the party.
“APC needs to put its house in order internally to sustain the support it has enjoyed from the electorate since 2013,” he said.
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