Over 20, 000 protesters march to Aso Rock Villa over plot by APC Governors to hijack National Convention

Protesters numbering Over 20, 000 led by the APC Youth Development and Solidarity Forum, Yari Grassroot Support Groups and Al- Makura National Chairman Mandate Coalition this morning marched to the presidential villa to register their grievances over plots by some APC Governors to hijack proceedings at the  forthcoming National Convention.

The protesters who were full of praises for President Muhammadu Buhari for turning away two Governors who went to the villa to submit a list of their choice candidates to the president for endorsement also alleged that these Governors are up to  mischief solely for their selfish interest.

The Groups in a letter presented by APC YDSF President, Danelsi Momoh and  Tobias Ogbeh, Secretary commended the President’s leadership strides in piloting the country’s affairs since 2015, when they said the  people of Nigeria unanimously gave him the mandate to direct the affairs of the country.

The groups in the letter said, “It is instructive to state that this much Mr President has done over the years, and Nigerians have been most impressed, especially by his unshaken stance on transparency and accountability.

“Mr President, these are indeed trying times for the APC as a party as it has become common knowledge that some vested interests are out to undermine the lofty ideals of the party by electing to undertake uncharitable ventures with the potential of puncturing the relative peace and sense of direction of the party in recent times.

“We are constrained to use this medium to bring to the notice of Mr President the attempt by some governors to deceive His Excellency into charting an undemocratic cause in the buildup to the party convention slated for 26 February 2022 by insisting on the candidature of some select individuals for the leadership of the party.

“Mr President may wish to be informed that these individuals do not have the interest of the party at heart; hence their ignoble drive to ensure their preferred candidates get the necessary endorsement at the detriment of other qualified aspirants that have made considerable efforts in reaching out to the various stakeholders in the party with their mission and vision for the party.

“We wish to humbly inform Mr President that the activities of two serving governors are notorious in this regard, which is a betrayal of trust and an insult to the sensibilities of the hard-working members of our great party that have made substantial sacrifices towards building the party to enviable heights.

“Mr President, we must not fail to bring to your notice the activities of the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu. He has jettisoned governance in Kebbi state and has elected to deploy a massive financial war chest in destabilizing the party’s lofty ideals.

“Governor Atiku Bagudu has boasted in several forums that he would singlehandedly pick the chairman of our party and other candidates for leadership positions during the convention. He has stayed true to his threats by intimidating and attempting to undermine the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

“Mr President, you must agree with our position that this is undemocratic and must not be allowed to see the light of the day, which has the potential of disintegrating the party before the convention slated for later in the month of February.

“This is indeed against your antecedent, which abhors any form of undemocratic causes that would deprive all stakeholders in the party a right to aspire and contribute their quota to the party’s electoral success.

“This is more worrisome because candidates promoted by these greedy governors are not known loyalists of the party but could pass for moles to compromise the party’s integrity and, by extension, paint a picture of the party as undemocratic before the general public.

“Mr President may wish to know that notable candidates for the chairmanship position of our party, such as former governor of Nasawara State, Tanko Al-Makura, and former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, have conducted themselves notably and appears to have transverse the country soliciting the support of party members towards the actualization of their ambitions.

“Mr President, we are consequently pained with the action of these governors of our party who are desperately trying to undermine the democratic process by attempting to deceive you and other party members into endorsing a fraudulent list of candidates at the party’s national convention.

“We have thus elected, in collaboration with other critical stakeholders and members of our great party, to stage a mass protest to the presidential villa to register our displeasure in this regard and to demand that Mr President denounces these miscreants and direct immediately for a democratic process within the party.

“We pray that Mr President as the father of the party and in line with your stance on transparency and accountability, reject the Governors and their evil plans and equally consult other stakeholders like the Forum of Ex- Governors in the party to make an input.

“We pray that Mr President consults members of our party in the National Assembly, which has the biggest caucus in the party, towards finding an amicable resolution of the impending crisis.

“Mr President, while we anticipate a favourable response, please accept the assurances of our highest regards” the groups said

They therefore delivered the letter to the President through the office of the Senior  Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Shehu Garuba for onward transmission to the President.