APC Gets 14-day Ultimatum to Release Timetable for National Convention

APC Gets 14-day Ultimatum to Release Timetable for National Convention

You lack power to issue ultimatum, party tells aggrieved members

By Adedayo Akinwale

A group, Concerned Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have given the Caretaker Committee of the party a 14-day ultimatum to come up with time table for the national convention slated for December as directed by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.

But in a swift reaction, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said the group lacked the power to issue ultimatum to the committee.

The committee led by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, came into being following the sack of Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party at an emergency NEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa on June 25, 2020.

The committee was inaugurated to carry out two critical challenges, which included reconciling aggrieved members and to conduct a National Convention by December 2020.

But the spokesperson of the group, Mr. Dauda Abdullahi, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, said the concerned members of the party have watched with amazement for several months over the inability of the APC Caretaker Committee to provide direction for the party and set up timetable for December elective convention.

The group said: “We are aware that the composition of the committee is illegal and alien to our party’s constitution, and we are aware that some members are in court already as regards that anomaly, but due to our respect for the president, we allowed the process as a child of necessity and supported it, but the present action and body language of the committee necessitated our press conference today (yesterday).”

The group said it was aware that the committee was planning registration of members which was not part of the resolution of the last NEC.

It, therefore, called on the committee to let legally elected and constituted NWC to come in and conduct the new membership registration for the party.

The group also wondered why the Caretaker Committee was planning to extend its tenure, adding: “To what end? Governor Buni is elected to govern the people of Yobe State not to jettison his constitutional responsibility to be arranging a sit-tight regime in the party. A word is enough for the wise!

“Why were the caretaker members and all the governors not present at the Edo State rallies if they had not compromised the election? We observed that Governor Kayode Fayemi said he did not attend the rallies because as the chairman of governors’ forum, there exists a silent rule not to campaign against another governor of another party. This shows Fayemi is more loyal to PDP than APC who gave him the platform to be a governor in the first instance.

“We are giving the Caretaker Committee a 14-day ultimatum to roll out plan of action/timetable for the party’s December elective convention or face mass demonstration of party members nationwide.”

While reacting, Nabena said the ultimatum does not help in resolving the issue, but called on the members to come up with solutions, if they have any, to fast-track the convention.

He said: “They don’t even have the right to issue ultimatum; there is no need for ultimatum. If they have any option or solution to fast-track whatsoever their demand is, let them come to the party secretariat with their plans so that we can listen to them.”

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