BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – The forum of aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed concern over the non-inclusion of its members in the ministerial list submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate on Tuesday.
The Forum stated that this is contrary to an earlier agreement its members reached with the President in confidence.
National leader of the forum Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Muhammed who stated the position of members of the at a press conference on Thursday, said that it has become imperative for the forum to draw the attention of the president to the plight of the key stakeholders of the forum, who had aspired for various national positions under the platform of the party.
Mohammed, who was represented by Mr. Ben Adaji, said that most members of the forum, who were aggrieved after the primaries held prior to the general election had opted to leave the party but were persuaded by the president to stay back with the promise that he would take them into consideration in his appointments.
Adaji, who aspired for the House of Representatives ticket under Ankpa Federal Constituency in Kogi state and double as the spokesperson of the Kogi state chapter of the forum, noted that members are concerned that not a single aspirant was included in the appointments so far made by President Buhari.
Adaji, while urging the president to correct it in his subsequent appointments, said it has become imperative for the forum to register its disappointment over the appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari to far, especially the ministerial list.
He further said; “This forum comprises of all the persons who aspired under the platform of the APC in the 2015 and 2019 elections. You recall that a lot of irregularities occasioned the 2018 primaries of the party.
“Most of us who felt shortchanged by the process had opted to leave the party but the president persuaded us to stay back and work for the success of the party, with the assurance that we would be taken into consideration during his appointment.
“It is therefore very disappointing that the ministerial list is out and none of our members is on the list. We consider this an oversight and call on the president to consider our members who have worked so faithfully and have contributed enormously towards the success of this party, in his subsequent appointments.”
Adaji noted that the aspirants forum is the live wire of the party, comprising of the members who are constantly in touch with the people adding that failure to carry them along may spell doom for the party in the forthcoming general elections in some states such as Kogi and others and may threaten the existence of the party beyond 2023.
According to him; “Right Now, these set of aggrieved members need to be carried along otherwise, the very existence of the party may not be guaranteed beyond 2023. I can assure you that the party stand a very good chance of performing well in the forthcoming general election in some states across the country later this year. But even that is under threat if the aggrieved members are sidelined.”
