Senator Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC conceded on Monday evening that the conduct of the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections was not ‘perfect.’
Adamu made the comment at a meeting of the APC National Working Committee with President-elect Bola Tinubu, Vice President-elect Senator Kashim Shettima, and National Assembly members-elect.
The closed-door meeting, which began at around 2.48 p.m., was conducted in the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
Shettima, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and Senator Godswill Akpabio were among those who attended the ceremony.
The news comes only days after dissatisfied NWC members asked for the party’s reformation and his departure to balance the upcoming administration’s disputed Muslim-Muslim ticket, which has created friction ahead of the 2023 elections.
During the ceremony, Adamu thanked all elected political officeholders, saying they deserved the pleasure of triumph after winning the elections on February 25.
Yet, the beleaguered APC chairman admitted that the elections that generated them were defective.
He said, “I very heartily congratulate all the distinguished men and women elect. I salute you all. You are the new team Nigeria. From May 29 this year, the burden of our national unity, peace, and development will rest on your shoulders as a team.
“It is fair and honourable to admit that the February 25 elections were not perfect. We did not set out to conduct perfect elections.
“World history has no instances of perfect elections. Like all other democratic nations, we set out to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. This we did.
“I am proud to say we achieved this feat and delivered on the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the people. For the first time in living memory in respect of our elections, there were no allegations of vote-buying and outcry over all the other ills associated with the conduct of our elections. Rigging may not be dead, but it has been decapitated. Our democracy is maturing, and we are maturing with it.
“From the results of February 25, 2023 general elections announced so far by the electoral umpire, INEC, the APC won the presidency, clean and clear, and a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“We chose not to rout the other political parties because they are our partners in our national progress and development.”
