Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Appeal Committee set up to hear complaints and petitions arising from the recent National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wednesday submitted its report to the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
The Appeal Committee chaired by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, said during the report submission ceremony at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja that it received 24 petitions.
Speaking on how the committee tackled the petitions, Nnamani said : “We treated each case very seriously. It wasn’t our purpose to add kerosene to already raging fire. We made what we consider to be useful suggestions to the new National Working Committee (NWC) that will give our members a feeling of justice.
“Justice does not mean you must win your case; it means that you will get a level playing field, that you are given the opportunity to make your case. The appellants had tremendous opportunity of presenting their cases, and they did,†Nnamani said.
Oshiomhole who received the report in company of the other members of the NWC, thanked the committee for devoting its time and energy to the assignment.
A statement issued by Publicity Unit of the party, quoted Oshiomhole as having assured the appeal committee that the NWC will side by the truth and ensure justice in considering the report.
“We will do everything possible to be different from the way the NWC has operated in the past. I am aware having been a former governor and member of National Executive Committee (NEC) that there has been a tradition in the past that committees are set up, work is done, reports are submitted and action is not taken. We will act on every report submitted to us, we will not sit on the fence, we will side with the truth and we will ensure that justice prevails.
“My appeal to those aggrieved is the assurance that under my leadership, we will make our obvious mistakes but once our attention is drawn we will find courage to make up for our mistakes†he said.
The APC national chairman also used the opportunity to address all party members and leaders over grievances and disputations.
Oshiomhole said: “I am very appreciative of the fact that we were all elected and in the case of some of us, we were even unopposed. That is a huge responsibility that our members have entrusted us, that we can pilot the affairs of the Party at this time. We knew there were challenges when we contested for the various offices to which we have now been elected. So we can’t claim we didn’t know.
“For us it is a huge opportunity to make a difference not only for our Party but to the country. We will do everything possible to sustain confidence, to sustain trust. For us, everybody is important, everybody matters. We want to run an inclusive Party. But as I said in my acceptance speech, there are no losers. If we run the party efficiently and democratically, those who lost will find that their interests, whatever service they wanted to render are being rendered efficiently and democratically.
“As the saying goes, if God gives you power, may he not deny you wisdom, I pray for wisdom, I pray for courage and I believe we have it and we will deploy it to make peace within the APC family,†Oshiomhole added.
