President Muhammadu Buhari has cautioned the leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from name-calling and backstabbing ahead of the March 26 Convention.
The President in a release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity,Garba Shehu emphasised that members must remain steadfast and united if the party is to continue in the path of victory and dominance at all levels in the country.
Buhari reminded them that the once-powerful, main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost out as a result of divided house,and still enmeshed in bitter lessons from disunity, mismanagement and corruption till the present day
He added that the PDP failed in 16 years in power and as the main opposition party in the Country.
The President while noting that parties are entitled to their share of dissent and intra-party discord as obtained all over the world, however warned that when such degenerate into disunity fuelled by egos,then a party may be heading to the worst possible fate.
Buhari said as the country prepares for the long run up to the 2023 presidential election, what should be the priority of the APC is robust debate on issues and not the infighting currently pervading the party.
According to the President, There must be no more distractions ahead of the convention to choose new leaders,recalling that the party which started out with a confidence of victory still enjoys that confidence in nearly two-thirds of the 36 states.
Of concern to the President is the amount of media coverage given to the internal management affairs of the APC over and above its importance to the voters of Nigeria.
Buhari was of the opinion that who becomes the party’s chairman is of less concern to an average voter whose interest is more in the person that is elected as the party’s flagbearer in the general election slated for February next year.
He urged the media to always put critical matters into perspective rather than debating policy differences among the ranks and files in the party
President Buhari added that while the media is welcome to comment on the content of the character of the potential APC candidates; discuss their suitability for leadership; scrutinize their offer to the membership it should not focus on the routine internal divisions and magnify them into what they have become today.