National Convention: Confusion, as APC postpones to March 26, introduces Zonal Congresses

…Clear case of abuse of power — President, APC Rebirth Group

…Calculated attempt by Buni-led caretaker committee to elongate tenure — Audu

By Joel Oladele and Uthman Salami

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday postponed the National Convention earlier scheduled for February 26 and introduced zonal congresses slated for March 24, 2022.

In  a letter sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party noted its intention to conduct zonal congresses on Saturday, March 26, 2022.

In the letter to INEC, with notification code APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/22/21, signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni and Sen John James Akpanudoedehe respectively, the party leadership urged the electoral Commission to; kindly arrange for INEC officials to monitor the exercise accordingly.

The letter reads: “The notice supersedes our earlier notice for National Convention referenced APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/22/14, this is predicated on the evaluation of our party constitution Act, 2010 (as amended) and compliance with Section 12:6 of our party Constitution, we hereby write to notify the Commission that our great party, the All Progressives Congress has scheduled to hold its Zonal Congresses on Saturday, March 26, 2022.

“Kindly arrange for your officials to monitor the exercise accordingly. While hoping to receive your cooperation, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem,” the notification letter read.

Meanwhile, reactions from different stakeholders have since been trailing the news  of the postponement.

One of the  chairmanship aspirants of the party, Chief Sunny Moniedafe said, “I am left with no option but to accept the decision of the party, so long as the party leadership carries all the critical stakeholders along, I don’t have any objections.”

The APC Rebirth Group, led by Comrade Aliyu Audu said the decision was part of the calculated attempt by the Buni-led caretaker committee to elongate his tenure in office.

He said: “It is a clear case of abuse of power and blatant reign of impunity. Buni will not stop at nothing until he ruins the party.”

Prince Mustapha Audu, an APC Stalwart and the president of the Progressive Youth Movement while reacting to the news said, “The young stakeholders are having an emergency meeting today and tomorrow to conclude.

“We will most likely be taking over the APC headquarters and we’ll most likely be conducting our own convention and once we do that, we’ll head to court and that’s over.

“We’ll also be writing to Mr President to inform him of the woeful state of affairs in the party. We’ll do a press conference tomorrow, have a position and come out officially.”

Expressing his displeasure over the accusations making round the news by some members he described as “fifth columnists and their sponsors” against the national leadership of the  party, he cautioned them against such action.

He said those sponsoring campaigns of calumny on national television and in other media platforms against APC national leadership should know that national convention will come and go but the damage they would have caused the party’s image will remain.

The Bayelsa-born politician said his intervention became necessary because the APC belongs to all, including him and those causing the damage.

He therefore appealed “to our leaders at all levels to trust the CECPC leadership and eschew every form of action that will portray APC in bad light.

“Those sponsoring fifth columnists against the APC Chairman and the party leadership are like political vultures who feed on dead meat but presently there are no dead meat for them to eat.

“The party leadership knows them and at the appropriate time actions will be taken against them according to the APC constitution.”

Briefing journalists after a closed door meeting of the National working committee that lasted for hours at the party national secretariat, Abuja on Monday evening, the National Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe said, “After deliberation and agreement with the CECPC, we have agreed and approved that the activities of the national convention commence from the 24th of March and terminates on the 26th of March at Eagles Square.”

“In between the convention, we have agreed to have zonal congresses.”