Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC on Sunday night met in Abuja to deliberate on the way forward for the party, especially with regards to its planned national convention, declaring that in spite of the current crisis facing it, the party will not implode.

The meeting which started around 8pm took place behind closed doors at the Kebbi state Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro.

At least 20 of the governors were in attendance and some of them included the host and Kebbi governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, his counterparts from Kogi, Nasarawa, Katsina, Plateau, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara, Imo, Borno, Ebonyi, Lagos, Zamfara, Niger, Ogun and Cross River.

The Governors resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the contentious clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as passed by the National Assembly and which seeks to impose direct primary on political parties.

The bill is currently awaiting Presidential assent.

Addressing journalists after the meeting which ran into 12am on Monday, the Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF and Governor of Kebbi state, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, was silent on the zoning arrangement for party offices at the national level.

Bagudu dismissed speculations that the APC governors had met with the President to convince him not to assent the Electoral Act Amendment bill, saying the earlier meeting with the President was to discuss the forthcoming national convention of the party.

“I said we are going to meet with our party leader (Buhari) and we appreciate your interest and we will certainly keep you informed”, he stated.

On the outcome of the November 6 Governorship Election in Anambra state, Bagudu described it as a victory for Nigeria, adding that it was the right of the party’s candidate to express his views on the outcome of the election.

He said;”That an election took place in Anambra, I think Nigeria has won, and the President has made a statement about that and we are equally proud of our security agencies.

The party candidates in all elections have the pride of place to determine their views about the outcome, but we are proud that under the APC, an election that was hitherto thought to be impossible has taken place.”

No implosion

Bagudu also dismissed concerns of a possible implosion within the party in view of the crisis in many of its State chapters, a development threatening the smooth operations of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC.

This is a party which was not only able to mobilize into its fold three outstanding governors into the party, the Deputy Governor of Anambra state, members of the National Assembly, distinguished Nigerians from all walks of life and this is the party where the party leadership is humble to say that all Nigerians should join us so that we unite and serve Nigerians.

“While other parties are sending people away, we, despite our strength are inviting them to join us so that together we reposition and keep the progress agenda”, he stated.