By Emmanuel Mogbede
ABUJA – Mr Sunny Moiedafe, a chairmanship aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Adamawa says effective dialogue is critical to addressing perceived wrangling within the party’s ranks and file.
He said this on Saturday in Abuja at an event organised by a group known as SSM APC National Chairmanship Consultative Forum.
The aspirant said if elected as APC next national chairman, he would employ dialogue to address grievances among party members and the perceived wrangling in some of its state chapters.
“Every problem has a solution, most times we harden our hearts and we don’t want to accept other views,” he said.
Moiedafe said that having been a party administrator from the grassroots for a long time, he had the capacity to administer the APC and move it forward.
He added that he had a five points agenda to advance the course of the party and take it to higher heights.
He said that major among the agenda was to ensure a synergy among the three arms of government.
“I have a five points agenda to move the party forward, anyone that has an agenda for the party should bring it up, no fighting,” he said.
He, however decried the party’s current reward system, saying:” if I become the party’s next national chairman, I will talk to the president respectfully to look into the party’s reward system”.
He also decried the use of political god fathers to ascend to elective and appointive offices without considering merit and loyalty, saying that this should not be the norm.
Moiedafe, while saying that he had no political god father, said that he was not scared of big names that maybe contesting the position with him.
He added that if elected as APC next national chairman at its national convention, he would bring in his experience and political expertise to change the party’s fortune.
“I have God and Nigerians behind me, so I am not scared, I will do the right things to ensure justice and equity for all party members if elected,” he said.
He debunked insinuations that his chances of emerging as APC next national chairman could be hampered because Adamawa, which he represented was not being governed by APC.
According to him, all that matters is the party’s stakeholders in the state which he said he has their backings.
“We have stakeholders there, when a position is zoned to a particular zone,the stakeholders meet and decide and as much as possible avoid any rancor by telling me to step down.
“It is the stakeholders that will decide, it doesn’t have to be a current governor, we have former governors, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is from Adamawa.
“We have several persons holding high offices in government and we are in touch, am just presenting myself because I know I have what it takes to administer the party and they are buying into it,”he said.
The aspirant, however, said that if he could not get the APC chairmanship position, he would go for the Deputy National Chairman North East, or the party’s National Secretary.
He said that he could also go for the party’s National Chairman North East, stressing that he had the capacity and qualifications for all positions.
He added that the most important thing, was to think outside the box, saying that we could not continue in the old ways and expect change.
He expressed confidence in the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee(CECPC).
Moiedafe said that the recent approval of the extension of the committee’s tenure by President Muhammadu Buhari should be accepted in good faith by all party members.
“For them to have made that decision which I was told the president endorsed, meant they have seen something.
“As a party man, I will not make the mistake of trying to dispute why they did it, let’s just patiently wait to see the outcome,” he said.
He added that the extension of the tenure of the CECPC would give him more time to sell his candidacy to members of the party across the federation.
“For me, it has giving me a lot of benefits and time to go round Nigeria to sell myself to party members.
“Am not discouraged, I will continue consulting and campaigning,the CECPC will conduct the party national convention in due time,” he said.(NAN)
