From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal has decried the precarious situation facing the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He also lamented that the incompetence of the ruling party has limited the capacity of the government to deliver on the promises made to Nigerians.
The former SGF further declared that the derailment of the party has also created legitimate doubt on the sustainability of the party.
He came hard on the party in Abuja while chairing the event organised by the Support Groups Management Council (SGMC) to drum support for the actualisation of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidential ambition
The former SGF also chided those he described as self-serving cabal managing the party quipping that driven by personal ambitions, they have failed to “organise a simple conflict-free Ward, Local Government and State Congresses let alone the National Convention.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, I would like to remind us that the primary objective of the founders of the APC is to build an enduring political party capable of sustaining responsive governance that can bring positive change in the circumstances of this country.
“But since forming a government at the centre and in many states across the federation for the past seven and a half years, the objective of building a cohesive and virile political party has eluded the leadership of the APC.
“This has not only limited the capacity of the government to deliver on the promises made to Nigerians but has also created legitimate doubt on the sustainability of the party. The incapacity of the party to even harmonise and synergise policy direction of the federal government with that of States it controls especially in key critical areas around which the campaigns were run, speaks volumes about its incompetence.
“Compounding these problems in the last one year is the apparent hijacking of the party by a self-serving cabal who, driven by personal ambitions, have failed to organise even simple conflict-free Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses let alone National Convention. As we speak, there are only a handful of states in the country that do not have parallel state executives,” he said.
Babachir, however, noted that the entrance of former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, into the presidential race will bring light at the end of the tunnel.
He boasted that he is not only adequately prepared for the position, but will also emerge victorious regardless of the mode of primaries adopted by the ruling party.
“This is the current state of our party and it is in this environment that we gathered here must operate to deliver Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election. And this we will do be it through consensus, indirect or direct party primaries by the grace of God.
“We are neither offended nor threatened by whichever method the party chooses to adopt for the emergence of its presidential candidate. But of course, being democrats, we prefer a method that involves all the card-carrying members of the party in this choosing process.
“Therefore, our task, beginning from today, is to develop a smart strategic plan that we will faithfully execute to deliver Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the candidate of APC and to thereafter deliver him as a landslide winner of the 2023 presidential election.
“In this, our task is cut out for us because our Principle, Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no equal in terms of suitability of the person fit to take over the governance of this country from President Mohammadu Buhari on 29th May 2023. He is a brilliant, tested and detribalised Nigerian.
“He is a proven excellent manager of both financial and human capital. But above all he loves Nigeria and has a clear vision of where the country should be. And he knows how to take it there.
“Let us work tirelessly, faithfully and earnestly to give our country, Nigeria a bright, secure, and economically prosperous future where people of every tribe and religion will feel free, safe, secured and loved. Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lead us to this future. And APC will be the platform as our preferred option. God bless us all,” he prayed.
