…urges members to remain calm
A group, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Admirers’ Movement (BATAM), has kicked against the attempt by the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to impose Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the party’s consensus presidential candidate, saying the development has set the ruling party on fire.
BATAM, in a statement by its President, Ibikunle Solana, said Adamu’s announcement of Lawan as the consensus candidate of the APC came to it and most Nigerians as a rude shock.
The group said Lawan’s announcement had set the party on fire.
BATAM, however, said it is “gratifying to note that the Progressives Northern governors Forum has rejected the selfish and illegal decision. Even President Muhammadu Buhari has distanced himself from the hand-picking of the Senate President.
“Our members have been expressing serious concern about the issue. BATAM rejects the consensus candidate and the idea of consensus at this stage. Let the aspirants test their popularity at the primary. Whoever emerges will be acceptable by all.
“Therefore, BATAM urges its members globally to calm down. As far BATAM is concerned, Senator Abdullahi Adamu merely expressed his personal opinion. He is on his own in respect of this unpopular, divisive and destructive decision. What a cabal within the APC is doing now is capable of destroying the party. It is quite obvious that the National Chairman is not playing his expected role as an unbias umpire. It is clear that he is bias. Unlike President Buhari, he has shown that he is not for everybody and for nobody. His actions and body languages in recent times have revealed that he became APC Chairman to achieve a pre-determined objective which is gradually unfolding.
“It will be recalled that few days ago, Senator Adamu, while reacting to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s speech in Abeokuta, vowed that APC will punish Jagaba. It is now clear that this is one of the ways he believes they will punish him. Unknown to him, from the looks of things, they will end up punishing APC and themselves. Fortunately, Adamu and his cabal still have enough time to make amends. They can still rescind their unpopular and vexatious decision and and consequently apologise to members and other Nigerians.”
The group added, “BATAM and all APC members, and indeed, every Nigerian who look forward to a peaceful and exciting APC primary should not despair. God will not allow a tiny cabal who are bent on stopping Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at all cost for their own interests to destroy APC.”
