Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari has not interfered in the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress especially at the national level.
Bagudu said Buhari is a democrat who does not believe that he should use his position as a party leader and President of Nigeria to run the affairs of the party.
“At all times Mr. President has shown that he is a democrat, he is not running the party. Yes, he is the party leader, he allows party organs to do and decide what should be done.
“He is very hesitant to use his standing even as party leader, talk less of his authority as Mr. President of the country to direct things, but at all times, he has been alive to the issue and like I said earlier, I believe with the encouragement he gave us this morning, with the level of details he has about all what is happening and the number of people he has listened to and heard.
He added that, “I believe that whatever needs to be done including the possibility of calling any of the organs of the party that is necessary for the resolution of lingering issues will be done immediately. Let me again that the party is never a perfect assembly.
“There will always be issues and that is why we talk, but yes certainly, organs of the party needs to meet and Mr. President without directing is always supporting the necessity of party organs meeting appropriately.
Bagudu while speaking to State House correspondents said himself and some governors met with the President to discuss the crisis rocking the party because they were bothered by the crisis.
“Today Monday 22nd of June 2020, my brothers the governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong and my brother the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and myself visited Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The reason for our visit is to discuss with him as our party leader as the leader that millions of Nigerians trust, to discuss party issues and the position of the Progressive Governors to support all steps to unify and bring about peaceful resolution in our party, the All Progressives Congress and Mr. President listened attentively and discussed with us as a father, as a party leader and he gave us all the assurance we needed to know that resolution of contentious issues will soon be arrived at.
Asked what he thinks about the removal and replacement of the party’s deputy national secretary and the protest at the headquarters of the party today, he said, “I think our party, the All Progressives Congress is a party that believes in dialogue and when contentious issues arise you dialogue.
“We will recall that because of the sanctity which President Buhari attaches to constitutionalism, we held our national convention literally at the same time we are holding primaries because Mr. President has always said that we told Nigerians that our party is going to be a party of due process and we will do that no matter the challenge of the moment.
“So, young people expressing their views by demonstrating, members of the party challenging court processes shows that the people are free to express their views and dissent is not to be suppressed.
“What is important is that all will be taken on board in arriving at a conclusion that will be to the satisfaction of most party members and indeed Nigerians,” he said.
