By his decision to reverse the tenure elongation of the national and state executives, President Muhammadu Buhari has saved the All Progressives Congress, APC, of a major crisis.
This is the position of the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who praised Buhari for the step taken.
Against the decision reached at the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the party last month, Buhari on Tuesday declared that the tenure elongation was unconstitutional.
His declaration was at the latest NEC meeting of the party in Abuja.
He said he had examined the move critically and was convinced that it would cause a major crisis for the party in the nearest future.
It would be recalled that Tinubu was reported to have also condemned the tenure elongation when it was decided last month.
Some aggrieved members of the party have also filed a suit against the tenure elongation.
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Reacting to the declaration by Buhari on Tuesday, Tinubu in a statement issued by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, said the tenure elongation would deal a mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance in Nigeria.
The statement reads in part: “President Buhari’s action saves the party from serious legal turmoil.
”If the elongations were deemed illegal, then all subsequent party actions, including the nomination of all of our candidates for elective offices, might also be of questionable legality.
”Such a predicament would constitute an unnecessary and mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance to Nigeria.
”Moreover, President Buhari has affirmed for all to see that our party is one based on the rule of law coupled with a firm adherence to internal democracy.
”While it would have been easy to allow the ill-conceived motion of 27 February to stand, President Buhari showed principle and courage by steering the party back to its original and correct path…
”Today is a good day for those who cherish democracy and legality.
“His action will also serve to strengthen the party by allowing party members, including present incumbents, to seek to contribute to the party by vying for executive offices as they see fit.
”His action will go far in advancing the process of internal reconciliation that is now underway.”
