The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Thursday expressed optimism that most of the candidates for the National Convention of the All Progressive Congress(APC) on Saturday will emerge by consensus.
Lawan said the party was already reaching consensus in the selection of candidates across the states and zones ahead of the convention.
The Senate President spoke to journalists after a meeting of the APC Senate Caucus and the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee at the APC national Secretariat in Abuja.
“The next two days are so important to us that we must get everything spot on that we don’t allow anyone to cause any problem.
“Thank God we are reaching consensus all over the states and zones and by the time we go into the convention ground, I’m sure there will be very few elective offices that will have to be voted for. Most would have been achieved through consensus,” Lawan said.
The Senate President said the APC Senate Caucus was on solidarity visit to the leadership of the committee which he praised for performing so well.
Lawan said: “We have come to show solidarity to our party and the leadership of the Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee.
“They have done so well. We are two days away from the national convention. The Senate APC caucus has always been very supportive of the party.
“This Caretaker Committee that has been running our party, in our judgement has done so well and deserves our continuous and unreserved support, commitment, dedication and loyalty.
“We, as a party, feel that this is a moment that is so critical to the existence of APC in Nigeria. We need to get the convention right. We need to have a very successful, peaceful convention where we elect our leaders that will run the affairs of the party for the next four years.
“Therefore, every hand must be on deck and what we have done is to come and say our hands are available to be on deck as always.
“We are happy that the party received us so well like it has always done and the Chairman of the Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee has expressed his total commendation for the APC Senate Caucus.
“We are not only members but strong financial members of this party. We believe morally also that we have been contributing to the existence of this party.
“Infact, in a way, the National Assembly APC caucus can be said to be so responsible for a stable political environment in Nigeria today.
“We have been able to work with Mr President so peacefully, cordially and what is it today in Nigeria is to tell you that the relationship between the two arms of APC administration in the Villa and in the National Assembly has provided a climate where even other political parties in opposition are doing what they think they should do freely.
“So I want to thank my colleagues for coming together to ensure that our party remain stable in the National Assembly for our administration to continue to succeed and we wish the Convention Planning Committee and it’s leadership all the best.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the APC Caretaker and Convention Committee, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni thanked the Senators for their support for the party and the APC administration.
Buni enumerated some of the succeses of the committee and asked for their continued support.
▪︎ By Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser(Media)
to President of the Senate