The Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee has said that its ongoing reconciliation process requires all efforts of stakeholders.
Buni, chairman of the committee and Yobe governor said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
He, however, added that the committee since it assumed office on June 25, had been working to pull the party out of crisis by prioritising reconciliation at all levels.
He said though the process was yielding positive results, it had been a painstaking responsibility which required efforts to be invested to bring down tempers and ensure that sanity returned to the party.
“As a committee, we understand our specific mandates. We are charged with the responsibilities of bringing about stability and creating an inclusive political environment,’’ he said.
He added that the ongoing process was critical to creating an environment where every member of the party would be given a fair chance.
According to him, this should culminate in organising an extra-ordinary national convention that will produce a new National Working Committee (NWC) for the party.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) of the party understood that the conditions for equity and fair play must necessarily include a trusted mechanism for conflict resolution.
“Such conditions must ensure fair hearing and just application of the rules and regulations of our party. This will not happen if conflict is main business in the party.
`The capacity of our party for conflict management and the level of confidence members have in the system would determine the viability and survival of the party,’’ he said.
He added that the caretaker committee was not in doubt about these challenges since it was inaugurated in June.
Buni said the committee had however embarked on its assignments with clear focus, knowing that its actions or inactions could make or mar the chances of the party to survive and be stable beyond 2023.
He further added that in many of the flashpoints, the committee had been able to either resolve conflict or douse tension while working on bringing about an atmosphere that encourages peace and unity of purpose.
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He said in its interactions with stakeholders across the country, the need to update and standardise the party`s membership registration was a recurring decimal.
Buni recalled that since the 2014 post-merger membership registration and the inconclusive registration updates of 2017, the APC had not been able to produce a comprehensive membership register.
“During the last five years since our party emerged as the governing party, we have lost members due to either death or defection.
“We have also received many new members into our party, in all cases; our membership register does not currently reflect these changes.
“This laxity and the challenging consequences have brought into focus the imperative for our party to immediately embark on this exercise,’’ he said.
Buni said the committee had engaged with the party`s leaders across the country and had briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the imperative for the exercise.
He said the committee would soon roll out publicity and stakeholders’ engagement processes to mobilise party members nationwide to ensure full participation and a successful outcome.
“We are working hard and speedily to deliver on our mandate, even when we understand the need to put a sustainable structure in place towards conducting a credible national convention to usher in a new National Working Committee (NWC).
“We, therefore, solicit the cooperation of our members to ensure a smooth and transparent registration exercise.
“On our part, we will continue to provide update of the process on regular basis and do all that is necessary to strengthen our party and deliver a cohesive political structure at the end of our assignments,’’ he stressed.(NAN)
