Tinubu backs Buhari on NWC, urges loyalty to party principles
Not decided on 2023
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday urged the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) and other members of the party to accept President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision, and charged them to recommit themselves to the ideals and principles on which the party was founded.
Tinubu also declared that he had not made a decision on contesting the 2023 presidency, expressing pity for those who insinuate that President Buhari had ended his purported 2023 presidential ambition with the NWC’s dissolution.
He made his position known on recent developments in the party in a statement.
There were insinuations that the dissolution of the Oshiomhole-led NEC had nailed his perceived 2023 presidential ambition.
But opening up on the crisis and the intervention of President Buhari, Tinubu said he had not made a decision on the 2023 Presidency, saying he would continue to offer policy ideas.
He said, “To those who have been actively bleating how the president’s actions and the NEC meeting have ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity.
“I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.”
He said because of the COVID19 pandemic and its huge negative impact especially on the economy, he had “not busied” himself with politicking regarding 2023.
“I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face. I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do three years hence seems too remote given present exigencies.
“Those who seek to cast themselves as political Nostradamus’ are free to so engage their energies. I trust the discerning public will give the views of such eager seers the scant weight such divinations warrant,” Tinubu added.
He said the president’s intervention was welcome, pointing out that Buhari had done what any president would do as the leader of the party.
Tinubu said members of the dissolved NWC have the right to re-contest the leadership positions if they have the support of members.
He also hailed Oshiomhole, saying though he made some mistakes, he did his best for the party.
“While we recognize that people have personal ambitions, those ambitions are secondary, not sacrosanct. Members must subordinate their ambitions to health and well-being of the party. Never should our party be defined by one person’s interests or even the amalgam of all members’ individual interests. A successful party must be greater than the sum of its parts.
“In this vein, I appeal to all former members of the National Working Committee and all members of our party to sheathe their swords and look to the larger picture.
“We have governorship elections around the corner in Edo and a primary election in Ondo. On these important events we must concentrate our immediate energies. In the longer run, we must restore the collegial nature to the party so that it should be in the practice of coming to support the president instead of him having to rescue the party from itself,” he said.