*Wants APC to learn from PDP’s failure
President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a strong warning to leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against what it called “name-calling and distractions” as the party prepares for its national convention on March 26.
The President also reminded the party chieftains on the need to exercise restraint and learned from the mistakes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when it was in power for 16 years.
Buhari’s warning was contained in a statement made available on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.
Crisis of confidence has continued to plague the APC, following the controversy over the zoning of national offices.
The development came just as the leadership change was effected in the APC national caretaker committee as Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is now in charge of the party’s affairs while Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, the recognized chairman of the committee, is said to be overseas on a medical trip.
But Buhari has faulted the “infighting” in the party and warned that distractions over the forthcoming convention must stop.
The President said, “Yes, we are entitled to our own share of dissent and intra-party discord. These are common in all parties, left and right all over the world. But parties splintered by competing egos destined themselves to the worst possible fate.
“As the country prepares for the long run up to the 2023 presidential election, we all expect a robust debate on the issues that matter and what is going in the APC should be a reflection of this, not the infighting we are seeing.
“There must be no more distractions ahead of the convention to choose new leaders.”
