How Akande Helped Buhari Emerge As Nigeria’s President in 2015, APC Shares Details

• The APC has showered praises on Bisi Akande as he clocked 85 on Tuesday, January 16, 2024
• In a statement by its national secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, the ruling party acknowledged Akande's major role in the APC's formation and support towards Buhari's emergence in 2015
• Akande was a former governor of Osun state and a former chairman of the ruling APC

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has shared an important detail about former President Muhammadu Buhari's emergence in 2015.

The APC described a former chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, as a veteran grassroots politician who laid the foundation for Buhari's emergence and the party's victory in the 2015 general elections.

Read also

Former Anambra Assembly speaker is dead, details emerge

APC made this disclosure in a statement issued on Monday, January 15, by its national publicity secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, Daily Trust reported.

This comes on the heels of Akande's 85th birthday anniversary on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

APC said the former governor of Osun state was a unifier within the party, and the party was indebted to him.

The statement reads in part:

“APC owes a debt of gratitude to Chief Akande for his invaluable contribution to the party’s founding and for his leadership that laid the foundation for our massive and historic electoral victory in the 2015 general elections.”

How the APC was formed

Recall that the APC was formed in 2013, and the party appointed Akande as the interim national chairman.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had directed the party to put in place a national executive as part of the registration procedure.

Read also

Just in: PDP suspends Kogi chairman, gives 1 major reason

This subsequently led to the emergence of a substantive national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, at a national convention of the party held at the Eagle Square in June 2014 in Abuja.

Under Oyegun's watch, Buhari (rtd) was elected president in 2015.

Why the APC was formed, Buhari speaks

In 2019, Buhari reminisced on the process that led to the formation of the mega party, which propelled him into power.

Four parties – Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – dissolved into what became APC ahead of the 2015 elections.

Buhari said the four parties merged to defeat the then-ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), PM News reported.

Tinubu, Buhari meet in Abuja for the first time since May 29

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Buhari is expected to visit Abuja on Tuesday, January 16, the first of its kind since he handed over power on May 29 to his successor, President Bola Tinubu.

Read also

Just in: President Tinubu told to sack Ganduje, APC reacts

The ex-president will be visiting Nigeria's capital to grace the launching of the book written in his honour, "Working With Buhari," written by his former spokesperson, Femi Adesina.

Adesina is a veteran journalist who served as the presidential adviser to the immediate past Nigerian president, alongside Garba Shehu for the eight years of Buhari's reign.

Source: Legit.ng