APC Crisis: Youth group calls for unity, supports Buni-led CECPC

A youth group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Progressive Youth Movement (PYM) has thrown its weight behind the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) led by Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni and Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

Recall that there has been a leadership tussle in the party with Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, announcing last week Monday that he has replaced Buni as Chairman of the CECPC.

The National Secretary, Senator Akpanudoedehe has also been rumored to have been sacked by the ruling party.

Amidst the controversy, the party afterward announced that Governor Abubakar was only acting as Chairman pending the return of Buni who is said to be on a medical trip.

But addressing journalists at the party national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja, the Leader of the group, Prince Mustapha Audu said his group is solidly behind the party leadership.

He said “We are in support of our chairman, his Excellency, Mai Mala Buni, we are in support of the secretary, Senator James John Akpanudohede and we are in support of Mr President 1000%. Anyone bringing any issue at this critical point is clearly an enemy of the APC.

“Nine days to the national convention of the party, all hands should be on deck. We saw the letter this morning by our national youth leader, Bar ishmeel Ahmed, we believe we should be working hand in hand to deliver for the party and the convention.

“Their is no need fighting each other at this stage, all we need is to support the party and chairman to carry out the convention. We are ten million members of this support group and we whole heartedly support Mr President, the caretaker committee chairman and the secretary” he added.

Speaking further, member of the group, Princess Zahra Audu stressed the need to unite as a party to ensure a successful national convention.

She said “It is very important to come together as a party and allow the law. INEC has all received letters and notifications from the chairman and the caretaker secretary, the president has also sent a letter with clear directives that we should return to status quo immediately and we should stop all the internal rancour and all the internal issues.

“To be honest with you, we are all politicians, we all have different interests. We need to put the interest on Nigerian people, the interest of Mr president and the interest of the APC above all our personal interests.

“We must have our convention and after the convention, we can come back to being politicians but for now we must think about the APC, we must think about our the party not our personal interests”.

On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari through a letter to the party, waded into the leadership crisis rocking the APC, backing Gov Buni as the chairman of the party.