PDP faults Buhari’s anti-graft fight as Adamu takes oath of office

• APC chairman promises internal democracy, healing
• Fayemi, Oyetola, Uzodimma, others laud national officers, optimistic on party prospects
• Why I withdrew from contesting national deputy chair, by Dogara

Newly elected national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has pledged to entrench internal democracy in the party.

Adamu was administered the oath of office alongside other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) at Eagle Square, Abuja, yesterday.

He told party faithful: “The eyes of the nation are on us. The eyes of Africa are on us. The eyes of the world are on us. This is a historic moment. There is no room for false steps. Our first step is to make our party the bastion of internal democracy. If a party is not internally democratic, it cannot offer the country true democracy.”

He further promised: “It is time for us to do things differently. When we quarrel, we open our flanks to our rival political parties that are only too eager to exploit them for their own benefit. I promise you, here and now, that we shall heal any wounds in our party. We shall effect lasting reconciliation among our members, and we shall go into the next general elections as a strong and united party.”

THE opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, was not impressed, even as it alleged that the emergence of Adamu as chairman confirms misgivings about the anti corruption stance of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP said: “With the combination of the corrupt, deceitful and rudderless Buhari-led APC government and the illegitimate Abdullahi Adamu-led party leadership, corruption, economic hardship and rudderlessness in the APC government will worsen in our country in the remaining one year of the APC in government.”

It said: “The emergence of the new APC national leadership is a clear confirmation that President Buhari has never been committed to the fight against corruption, as well as his willingness to further open our national vaults to ravenous treasury looters in the APC.”

The party further mocked APC over what it called “the imposition of Adamu, a man who was arraigned in court on a 149-count charge of alleged fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion.”

It added: “The new APC chairman should inform Nigerians why he was not courageous enough to submit himself to trial at the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State, rather than hide under technicalities. Senator Adamu should, therefore, come clean to Nigerians on the said case before parading himself as a saint.”

MEANWHILE, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has congratulated the newly elected national executives of the party.
He also lauded the national caretaker committee headed by Yobe State Governor Mai Malla Buni for organising a successful convention aimed at strengthening the party ahead of the 2023 general election.

Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, yesterday, said he was happy the convention held successfully, despite initial anxieties and divergent interests and opinions of members.

ALSO, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State congratulated Adamu, expressing appreciation over the emergence of all NWC members. In a statement, yesterday, Uzodimma described their emergence as a call to serve the largest party in Africa.

The message reads: “On behalf of the government and good people of Imo State, I most heartily congratulate Senator Abdullahi Adamu on his emergence as the national chairman. In like manner, I congratulate other elected members of the NWC, who have been called to serve in further strengthening of the largest political party in Africa and in the transformation of our nation, Nigeria.

“The peaceful and successful conduct of the exercise is a product of the unity and internal democracy flourishing in the party. I, therefore, compliment every member of our great party (the delegates, observers and others who couldn’t make it to Abuja), for the level of maturity exhibited and the brewed zeal in delivering much more than democratic dividends to Nigerians.”

THIS came as a former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, said his decision to withdraw from contesting the position of National Deputy Chairman (North) was because of his respect for Buhari and unity of the party.

Dogara, in a letter written to the party’s convention election sub-committee, titled: ‘Notification Of My Decision To Withdraw From The Race For National Deputy Chairman (North), said: “In the light of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives to adopt consensus in filling party positions at the convention, and as one of those who are comfortably disposed to Mr. President’s political philosophy, I unequivocally express my support for consensus and also my endorsement of Senator Abubakar Kyari for the position of Deputy Chairman (North).”

He called for cessation of bickering over party positions, saying: “If APC must attract more members, it must be united, as no one would board a boat of bickering sailors”.

ALSO, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State congratulated Senator Iyiola Christopher Omisore on his emergence as National Secretary.

Oyetola, who spoke to reporters shortly after the announcement of Omisore’s victory, described the senator as a round peg in a round hole, expressing confidence in the ability of the Ife-born politician to deliver and contribute to the growth of the party.