APC UK Advises Party to Postpone February Convention

Juliet Akoje

The United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to stay action on the proposed February 26 national convention.

Instead, it advised that the party should consolidate on the successes of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), and also win more grounds in reconciling aggrieved members.

APC had pinned its national convention for 26th February, 2022, after several efforts to unite various factions across state chapters.

But Dr. Philip Idaewor, Chairman of the APC in UK, in a press statement on Tuesday, wanted the NEC to shift the national convention to a later date.

“The Chapter urged APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to immediately postpone the National Convention from the Saturday February 26 date for pending critical issues to be addressed, especially, now that the reconciliation committee led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu has requested for one week extension to complete its work,” the statement read in part.

It said the UK chapter had earlier weighed in on the matter some months ago, where it categorically urged the party to align with best practices in deciding the convention date, which should be scheduled with the convention to elect the party’s presidential standard bearer.

According to the statement, the proposition would ensure the highest participation of the members in the diaspora as they would not dissipate logistics for travelling to Nigeria twice for the same event.

It, therefore, called on the party’s NEC to summon courage and postpone the convention in overall interest of all stakeholders to promote unity, harmony and cohesion within the party, noting that rushing into a convention within the space of the next three weeks would only further fracture the party.

“Reports from home (Nigeria) about how the APC has multiple factions in many of its state chapters do not project confidence that the party would have a smooth sail in the general elections due next year. The logical thing is to allow the reconciliation committee to finish its assignment as there is no gain in progressing error.

“APC stakeholders would have simply slaved for others to enjoy if the party holds the convention in February as it will merely be solidifying the rancorous situation that is present at state levels,” it stated.