Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, has said the change Nigerians seek cannot be served like instant coffee, it has to be gradual.
Tinubu who is one of the leaders of the governing All Progressives Congress, said this during a meeting with the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of the party at the APC National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He spoke before reporters were asked to leave the hall for the party leaders to meet behind closed doors.
Tinubu said, “Change cannot be served like instant coffee, we have to grow it, we have to face challenges. I sympathise with us and I want us to also look at ourselves (as a party) since we won the last elections that expectations were very high and the good will was extremely very high but where are we today?
“My mission is to seek opinions and advice on the various conflicts we have in some states, or if there is any national one to reconcile, move the party in a cohesive manner, and reposition if any.”
Speaking further about his mission he said,”I came for consultations. Consultations since you are aware of the assignment given to me by the President and I am all ears to listen to the various challenges that we have.
“We have this party, we all worked hard after the last convention, we had congresses in various wards to elect the party leaders we have at the various levels.”
“We’ve never governed before but we won the confidence of Nigerians to govern,”
Tinubu who arrived the APC National Secretariat at about 2:05 pm went into the office of the APC National Chairman where they met briefly before walking into the conference hall.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Odigie-Oyegun while welcoming Tinubu and his entourage said, it was necessary for the APC to put it’s house in order in order “to become a political force in 2019.
Odigie-Oyegun said, “We have major issues in the National Assembly, we have major issues in Benue State, we have major issues in Kano State, we have major issues in Kogi…”
In response, Tinubu said his mission to the party secretariat was in line with the task given to him by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the crisis facing the party at various levels.
He explained that despite the challenges facing the party and the administration, the APC remained the best alternative for Nigeria.
Tinubu observed that many were not aware of the enormity of the challenges because hope and the goodwill of the party enjoyed at inception were very high.
The meeting is still on-going.
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