Lawan: APC’s future uncertain after Buhari’s exit in 2023

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has disclosed that the

future of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appears uncertain

after the exit of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in

2023.

He said the APC may face challenges after the exit of President Buhari

from office in less than two years, except timely interventions are

taken by the ruling party to avert defeat.

Lawan, who gave the warning last night in a speech delivered to close

the First Progressives Youth Conference 2021 in Abuja, stressed that

the party must begin to plan ahead to sustain the goodwill and

legacies of the present administration by ensuring that its leaders

hand over power to competent youths in the All Progressives Congress

According to him, by doing so, the party would be able to retain its

appeal and nationalistic outlook beyond the 2023 general election.

He said: “Whether we like it or not, the truth is, President Muhammadu

Buhari remains the person with the bulk of the support we get across

this country in APC. And when he leaves, he would still have some

roles, but I dare say that it is after he leaves office that APC will

face its challenge. Yes, we have to know our value then, and the value

of APC presently is APC minus President Muhammadu Buhari. Whatever it

is, that is the value of APC.

“So, we need to do a lot to build this party, and we need our youths

more than ever before for them to continue with this legacy that this

administration has established all over the country. That means we

have to see ourselves as brothers and sisters regardless of where we

come from,” he said.

The Senate President added that, “our tribe or even ethnic group, our

religious persuasion should not matter when it comes to uniting this

country. And as APC, the onus is on us to provide security and an

economy that will bring growth and development to give people the kind

of life that is meaningful. We can ask others to join us, but we are

the ones to do it, so we need all hands on deck.”

He lamented that the plan of the APC to deliver on most of its

promises to Nigerians was stalled in the first tenure of the President

Buhari-led administration as a result of the feud between the National

Assembly and the Executive arm of government.

“When we were voted in 2019 as leaders of the National Assembly, we

were conscious of one thing, that our mandate that was given to us by

Nigerians in 2015 had suffered disruption and dislocation. For four

years (2015 to 2019), our government could not perform optimally

because of the then crisis between the parliament – the National

Assembly – and the Executive arm of government. So, APC had already

lost four very important years. And, that was supposed to be the years

that we should have convinced Nigerians that they took the right

decision by voting out a PDP administration in 2015.

What are our options? We are one party in different arms of

government. Our policies are supposed to be the same. Our programmes

and projects are supposed to be the same, whether you’re in the

legislature or the executive. So long as you are APC, that is your

programme and project, that is your government and you are bound to

make it succeed.

“So, we took the conscious decision of working in harmony that our

relationship must be characterised by consultation, coordination,

partnership and mutual respect, that we must succeed in the second

tenure (2019 – 2023). Otherwise, in 2023, many would like to see our

backs if you can’t provide the services expected of you in your first

four years.” He explained/

Lawan further disclosed that the ongoing amendment to the 1999

constitution will accord priority to inclusion of youths in

governance.

He explained that the aim was to ensure that power is divested to

younger generation in a way that allows them to participate in the

process.

(THISDAY)