The South East caucus of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly under the leadership of Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday, in Abuja, passed a vote of confidence on the interim leadership of the Party led by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.
Igbere TV reports that the Kalu-led federal lawmakers from the South East on the APC platform, arrived the national headquarters of the Party at about 12:30pm and passed the confidence vote at the office of the Secretary of the Buni-led APC National Caretaker Committee, Hon. James Akpan Udoedehe.
Senator Kalu during the meeting, extolled the leadership qualities of the Mala Buni-led committee, saying “his leadership would bring about required unity among the various members and chapters of the party”.
According to him, “so far, so good, the Governor Buni-led National leadership of the party, has restored peace in the party at the National level and in most of the State chapters.”
He, however, on behalf of the caucus, admonished the Buni-led National leadership to instill transparency, fairness and justice across the all strata of the party before emergence of substantive executives at the national level.
His words: “We need more openness in the party, in order to promote transparency within the party because once the party has transparency in operating in all their activities, things would be easier
“It is easier to win election with popular candidates. It is difficult to win elections when people are imposed. We should avoid imposition of candidates.
“You are a very experienced party administrator and Governor of the state and you are also very experienced in handling party matters.
“The caucus of the Southeast APC want to congratulate you, to enjoin other party members and to reassure you that we are going to work with you and infact, pass vote of confidence in this working national executives”.
Kalu assured the National leadership of the party of better electoral performances in subsequent elections from the South Eastern geo-political zone.
“I want to specially congratulate and to tell you that we are solidly behind you and we shall support you in your quest to do everything transparently. It is important to have transparency in our party congresses, this will make the party have a big footing in the area. We assure you that we from the Southeast shall do better in the next elections than we did in past.
“We believe that with your honest leadership, the party will go to further heights. How I wish you are not the Governor of a state, we shall not be looking for another National Chairman because we have trust in you and I know you very well and even your capabilities”, he said.
Also speaking during the meeting was the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeohca who, on her own part, advocated for the encouragement and inclusion of women in the party’s activities and elective positions.
She said, “We are going to embark on constitutional review and I want you to use your office to ensure that you carry everyone along because there is no way we can continue living the way we are living.
“Women are helpmates to the men and in politics if we don’t have enough women coming up on board, that means we are not doing what God says.
“From my experience, women don’t have the strength that the men have, so if we continue to leave the constitution the way it is there would be discrimination so we appeal that you give the women more number of slots in terms of political offices”.
Responding, the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, thanked Senator Kalu for the visit.
He restated the committee’s willingness to work with the South East caucus.
Buni extolled Kalu’s efforts and contributions to the party’s growth and urged him to continue his good work for the party.
The Yobe governor also called on women to take up the responsibility of contesting in elections rather than waiting to be given such positions on platter of gold.
“I disagree because most times our sisters will come from the position of weakness. In APC there was a time we decided to give free nomination forms to women we did that but there was a very superior argument that came up; which said that the women should come from the position of strength, because you can pay for the forms just the way a man can also pay.
“When we are talking about democracy, democracy is about contests. You have to contest, there are more women that I know that perform more than men. Even in the National Assembly you can attest to that.
“There are capable hands, even in my state there have never been a time that we didn’t have a woman in the House of Representatives and they are performing and most times even better than men.
“You can see as none of them ever came from the position of weakness, they contest, won elections and even have more followers than men, women are naturally compassionate.
“Sometimes what they go out to do for the vulnerables out there men don’t even care to do that. So when we are talking about gender issue we have to be more pragmatic we have to come from the position of looking for ways to encourage women to participate in politics.
“But when it comes to appointment I agree with you. Appointment is something that either the President, Governor or a local government chairman can do, but its not about election but when it comes to election I know you won your election I have been following you up and I see you travelling all over canvassing for votes, you didn’t sit in the comfort of your bedroom claiming you are a woman”, he said.
