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President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday asked warring members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to keep their ambition in their hearts or pockets.
He asked all those involved in the National Assembly crisis to sheathe their swords because the party cannot afford to disappoint Nigerians.
He said the APC must not “throw its success to the wind.”
The President said the APC will win the war eventually if all hands are on deck.
He was however unapologetic in declaring that APC is supreme and must be respected.
He said no politician can occupy any political office without belonging to a political party.
Buhari bared his minds in an address to members of the National Executive Committee of APC in Abuja.
He said: “Let us as members of the APC no matter our personal differences get together and use the mandate given to us by this country. This is my personal appeal to you in the name of God. Whatever your personal interest or ambition, please keep it close to your heart and in your pocket.
“Let APC work, let the system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies.
“My problem is the constituencies. I thank you very much for listening to me, and I thank the leadership across the board, and I appeal to you to please continue to work together.
“Please accept the superiority of the party. I cannot confine myself to the cage or Sambisa forest and refuse to participate in NEC or BoT. So, I respect, the superiority of the party.”
The President pleaded with party members not to throw the success of the party in the general election to the wind.
He reminded the party members of the sacrifices made through the merger to the eventual victory at the polls.
He added: “The elections have come and gone, the APC has won the battle, but lost the war. This is the paradox of democracy, and we shall see how we can manage it going forward.
“I have already addressed you through the chairman, through the leadership of the party, through your excellencies, the governors and through our Senators and House of Representatives members.
“The APC must not disappoint its constituency, that is the nation state. We have to convince our various constituencies that we are individually worthy of the sacrifices that they have made.
“They stayed awake day and night, travelling all over the country and made sure as a party, we emerged victorious. What subsequently happened is human, and as human beings we are not perfect, but let our collective actions in this party prove that we have won the elections, the battle and we will win the war.
“As for me as a President, I have to clearly understand the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the constitution of APC, and having tried three times and successfully lost three times and successfully ending up at the Supreme Court.
“I think I have tasted the bitter disappointments and the sweetness of success.
“What happened to APC must be given to God almighty. The opposition party has ruled the country for 16 years, with all the treasuries literally in their pockets and all the coercing forces at their command or under their command they still meekly conceded defeat. We congratulate them for that. ”
Culled from The Nation
