APC National Convention: Stakeholders Kick against Kalu’s Proposal for Postponement

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC), have kicked against the proposal by one of the leaders of the party, Senator Orji Kalu, for the postponement of the national convention of the party slated for February 2022.

Kalu had in a recent letter to the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, called for the postponement of the party’s convention slated for February in order to reconcile aggrieved members in some state chapters of the party riddled with crises.

He also suggested that the convention and the presidential primary should be held the same day.
But the Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, in a letter dated December 16, 2020 and addressed to Buni, warned that the chairman would be strengthening political opposition if he refused to hold the convention in February.

He said postponing the convention was detrimental to the party and could jeopardise itschances ahead of the 2023 elections.

Dapo Okubanjo, an aide to one of the chairmanship aspirants, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, said Kalu’s call for a postponement of the convention was unacceptable.

Okubanjo, who spoke in a telephone interview, told THISDAY that it was doubtful that anyone, who meant well for APC would back such a call, adding that postponing the convention would create more problems within the party.

He stated: “What Kalu said is unacceptable and is unnecessary because it could create more problems for the party. Aside from us, every other aspirant is stepping up their bid for the position based on President Buhari’s endorsement of February for the convention.

“So, it is doubtful that anyone, who means well for APC will back that position. Kalu may have his personal reasons but it will be difficult to agree to that move.”

Mr. Simon Shango, Campaign Coordinator for the Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, also said there were rules and laws governing the establishment of APC as a party.
Shango, who also spoke to THISDAY, said there must be a period that was allowed for a tenure of a particular executive of a party.

“I believe by February, the people are conscious that the term will end by that time. So, if we go outside that time, what you are doing is that you are offending the rules and laws that govern tenure of office in the party.
“Whoever calls for the postponement, I have not read it but I don’t think it is practicable. So, I cannot talk about what will happen. I don’t think it is practicable,” he said.

On his part, Mr. Sunny Monidafe, said it was not right to postpone the party’s convention and was of the opinion that it would cause the ruling party to lose credibility, having allowed the issue of national convention to drag for for too long.

Monidafe said: “I don’t think it is right for them to do that. We are losing credibility as a party. This thing has taken far too long. Most embarrassing right now is that they went to the President and he endorsed February. Now, what could have come up that will make them want to say they have postponed it? I don’t think it is nice.”

On the call that the party should hold presidential Primary before nation convention, he said that too was a wrong move, stressing: “That is wrong. We should not even try doing things new. Let’s do things the way we used to do it in the past. There is no point changing any way of doing things
“Right now, anything we do, anything the party does will lead to suspicion. For the sake of credibility and to remain relevant, I want to advise our leaders in APC to please stick to their promise. Ideally, a gentleman’s word should be his bond.”

Meanwhile, a group concerned of APC stakeholders, has equally warned that the leadership of the ruling party must do everything to hold the party’s national convention slated for February 2022.

Spokesman of the group, Abdullahi Dauda, in a statement issued yesterday said Kalu was not a member of the party, when it was formed and has no right to say convention should not be held, and therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Buni committee to order, saying it would resist any attempt to postpone the convention.

The group insisted that the major task before the Caretaker Committee as of today was the conduct of the national convention and must be pursued with all vigour and seriousness it deserves.

“As the Caretaker Committee meets tomorrow, we appeal to members of that body to resist further temptation to postpone the national convention in the interest of larger party members. We equally appeal to Mr. President, to call the caretaker to order before it is too late.

“He has PDP to fall back on if the court gives judgment against the actions of Buni-led caretaker in the future while we don’t have where to go, because APC is all we have. Therefore, other caretaker members should rise and save the party before it is too late.

“It is our hope and believe that the Caretaker Committee will not employ any delay tactics that will result in the need to further postpone the national convention from the February 2022 date as it has done in the past, where its six months mandate has extended to almost one and half year.”