APC requires justice to restore peace, says chairmanship aspirant, Mustapha by John Alechenu

A leading national chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Saliu Mustapha, has said the party requires justice and transparency not only to ease tensions within its ranks but also to regain public trust. Mustapha said this while speaking to reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday. According to him, when given the chance to preside over the affairs of the party, he would bring on board his wealth of experience as a party administrator by ensuring that a level playing place was out in place to ensure popular candidates emerge as standard-bearers of the party at all levels ahead of the 2023 elections. He maintained that the APC under his watch will become an open book that every member can read and understand. The former Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change said, “I am bringing a lot on board. I want to see a party that promotes equity, fairness and justice. If we are able to allow popular candidates to emerge and when popular candidates emerge based on their merit, then we don’t suffer the fear of election rigging. “The problem with placing unpopular candidates over popular candidates is that you start thinking of how to rig the general election. “And when you rig the general election with a bad product, the end result is bad governance or bad representation. “I want to bring on board a party that will promote internal discipline, that will be held to account for their manifesto and their promises, where you have fairness, equity and justice “I will ensure popular candidates emerge based on their merit. I will make APC an open book and not a cabal to itself. This idea of one-man show does not go well.” In response to a question on his chances against other contenders for the APC top job, Mustapha said, “I believe I have the experience. I believe age is on my side. More importantly, I believe I have the goodwill and the administrative skills. Political party administration is not an executive administrative work. “As a political party administrator, the most important thing is for you to be able to accommodate everybody, for you to be able to give the listening ears and to be able to temper justice because you must have at the back of your mind, that being a chairman of a party is not where it ends. “The most important thing is for your party to be victorious and for you to deliver the dividends or the promises of your manifesto. “So, like I said, I want to come on board to do things differently. Yes, APC has done well, but I believe there is room for improvement.”