By by Joy Odor
The newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu has warmed all the party member to remain loyal to him or face the consequences of disloyalty as he officially takes over leadership.
Senator Adamu gave the warning at the APC heaquarters on Wednesday when he received instruments of office from the outgoing Chairman of the Party’s National Caretaker Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni.
The APC Chairman elect while reading the riot act to members and leaders of the party said he would not entertain any form of disobedience to constituted authority or divisive tendencies that governed the party in the past.
“I want to say on behalf of the new NWC that it is not going be an easy time for us. We have a major event that is going to test us on how stable we are as a party. That is the general election that is coming.
“For me, by the time, we start working, our main task will be how we handle the elections as a party, how we will win the general election. People are talking, APC does not have an incumbent on the ticket. We will have the honor of the integrity and the legacy of the current President on the ticket.
“We will work day and night. We have less than 12 months to face the general election. So, everybody should buckle up. The little I have heard about the President is that he has complete allergy for failure. So, failure will not be in APC from today. We will work for success together. To my colleagues, if there is any issue, don’t begrudge me, let me know.
“I promise you in the spirit of collective leadership that team work is the only way. I cannot deliver alone. What I am asking for is something called ‘loyalty’.
“You have to be loyal. You must have one team. If you bring division tendency, we will deal with it. This country is greater than any one of us. And this party is bigger than any single member of this party. So, that is the spirit I am taking the leadership of this country,” Senator Adamu stressed.
Speaking earlier, Governon Buni said his Committee did its best for the party and rated its performance to be 70 percent.
“We have done our best in the membership registration exercise. We have done the Ward, Local Government, State Congresses and up to the National Convention. That cannot be without problems here and there. But, by and large, we have succeeded. We can say we have recorded 70% success for a big political party like APC with over 41 million members,” he noted.
Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you on your well-deserved victory at the National Convention. And also I want to thank the former Caretaker Committee members who did their best to make sure that the Party from where we started ended well at the National Convention.
“And above all Mr. President whose support we enjoyed to ensure that we reposition the Party to what it is today. And to the entire membership of APC family and other leaders for various roles they have played in ensuring that this Party is growing.
“I want to also add that as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party, you have a herculean task. First, to sustain the gains and coming at a time when this Party will soon start its nomination processes. Obviously, the task before you is enormous.
“We can say we have recorded 70% success. A bigger and larger political party like APC with over 41 million membership.
“Part of democracy is to agree and disagree at some points. But it is all about human management. The ability to manage the situation is what will keep this party together and stronger again, and again.
“So, as at it is and as members of NWC, you should study Mr. President’s speech and that should be your guide. And also, I want to thank you most importantly for this opportunity all your efforts both individually and collectively for making our task easier throughout our stewardship.
“I hope and pray you will build upon where we stopped. Because APC as it, we are all witness to what happened at the National Convention. One will say, it is unprecedented because the attendance and orderliness has shamed the naysayers saying the Party will implode.
