Olusola Bello
The All Progressives Congress has fixed its National Convention for March 26, but the governors kept mum over the development as they planned to meet President Muhammadu Buhari today
The has also slated a series of activities that will lead to the convention in March 26. Such activities include the conduct of zonal congresses from February 24.
APC in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, which was signed by the party’s National Secretary Sen. John Akpanudoedehe and Caretaker Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, stated:“This 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.”
Delay in conducting its convention may not be unrelated to internal party wrangling and factions in several states.
The APC party leadership has been quiet about the processes leading up to the convention and the reasons why such processes have failed to happen.
Last week, some governors of the APC were slated to meet President Muhammadu Buhari over some party issues, but the meeting couldn’t hold as the president had to travel to Belgium on an official assignment.
The National Executive Council of the APC had appointed the committee led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State to take over the affairs of the party pending when a national convention would be conducted.
This followed the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in June 2020 amid an internal crisis and a series of litigations.
Governors on the platform of the party on Monday however declined to comment on the postponed national convention of the party.
Speaking after a meeting held in Abuja, Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, said the Governors will only comment after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
“Until we finish the meeting with Mr President, we will rather not comment on any timetable or logistics,” Mr Bagudu, who is also the Governor of Kebbi State, said.
Other issues discussed by the forum, according to Mr Bagudu, include the just concluded FCT Council elections, the Osun primaries, among others.
The Governors, who attended the meeting at the Kebbi State Governor’s lodge include the Chairman of the Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Bello of Niger State, Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.
Others are Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe State and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke.