The All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised Chief Bisi Akande, the party’s previous interim national chairman, as a senior grassroots politician and symbol of political progressivism who lay the groundwork for the party’s win in the 2015 general elections.
Barrister Felix Morka, the APC’s national press secretary, issued a statement on Monday on the occasion of Akande’s 85th birthday anniversary on January 16, 2024, saying the former governor of Osun State is a unifier within the party.
Recall that the APC was formed in 2013, and to fulfil the party’s registration requirements, stakeholders across the merging parties met in Abuja, where they appointed Akande as the interim national chairman.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had directed the merging parties to put in place a national executive as part of the registration procedure.
This subsequently led to the emergence of a substantive national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at a national convention of the party held at the Eagle Square in June 2014 in Abuja.
Under Oyegun’s watch, Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) was elected president in 2015.
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.
“A father figure, a unifier and strident voice of reason, Chief Akande remains a stable and selfless promoter of peace and reconciliation among leaders and members of our great party.
“We join family, friends, associates and party faithful to give a befitting toast to a patriot, elderstatesman, veteran grassroots politician, administrator par excellence, and an icon of political progressivism.”
(DailyTrust)