Group Dismisses Reports Of In-Fighting, Backs Buni’s Committee

The Coalition of Progressive Youth Groups in Nigeria and the Diaspora (COPY-ND), a group within the ruling All Progressives Congress has dismissed reports of in-fighting within the party.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the Director-General of COPY-ND, Dr Aminu Isyaku.

Reports of division and in-fighting within the ruling had been on for several weeks

He was reacting to an earlier communiqué issued by another group in the APC, the Progressive Youth Movement (PYM).

The PYM had in the communiqué announced the dissolution of Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee and constituted a new one.

The APC spokesman, John Akpanudoedehe, had last week described the PYM as an illegal group in the APC and urged Nigerians to ignore its activities.

Isyaku said: “We want to set the records straight and calm the anxiety of APC youths and declare that there are no factions or leadership crises in the APC.

“We are the ruling party and we have one caretaker party leadership in place, led by Governor Buni and appointed unanimously by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).”

“We are a volunteer coalition that is driven by the concern that we have for the need to correct the negative impression created by the careless actions of the so-called PYM.”

“Accordingly, we have painstakingly analysed the political events in the last few days in the youth constituency of the party.”

“We, therefore, wish to state without ambiguity, that the COPY-ND is not part of this grand plot to destabilise the party under the leadership of Buni.”

He described the action of the PYM as illegality and part of a grand plot to destabilise the APC ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The COPY-ND chief insisted that the APC was a party of rules and due process.

“In the party today, we have a caretaker committee that has navigated the party from the brink of rancour and steered it onto the safe ground and restored order in it.”

“This was achieved through membership registration and revalidation, the constitution of the tripartite committee, contact and strategic committee, and major election victories.”

“It has also been achieved through
institutionalisation of the reward system in the party and defection of governors and chieftains of other political parties into the APC.”