Confusion over APC membership validation exercise

The All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration/ validation exercise expected to commence tomorrow ( Monday) may be shelved again.

Nigerian Tribune investigation revealed that some of the items to be used in conducting the exercise are still stockpiled at the party national secretariat in Abuja and are yet to be moved to the state chapters.

If aborted tomorrow (Monday), it would be the second time in less than two months that the exercise would be postponed.

The Committee to oversee the process across the country, to be led by Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello was inaugurated last week by the chairman of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni last week.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the formal inauguration of his team, Niger state governor said all the materials for the exercise had been provided and were being conveyed to the states.

Further checks revealed that aside the state chairmen, some of the Committees to handle the exercise were yet to be formally inaugurated in state chapters.

Chairman and secretaries of the Committees are expected to be inaugurated on Wednesday at the party national secretariat.

However, insider information available to NIgerian Tribune indicated that the exercise was going ahead as scheduled. Subsequently, the caretaker chairman of the party in Ekiti State, Mr Paul Omotosho has said all measures had been put in place to ensure smooth registration. Omotosho who spoke through the party’s spokesman, Ade Ajayi, on Saturday noted that all stakeholders of the party would be meeting on Sunday (today) for proper briefing on how the exercise would be carried out across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Speaking with Nigerian Tribune, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu expressed delight on the registration exercise, adding that everything possible would be done to ensure laid rules from the national secretariat were strictly adhere to by state party executives.

In Bauchi State, Caretaker Chairman of the party, Uba Ahmed Nana told our correspondent that all is set for the exercise to be conducted as directed by the National Secretariat of the party stressing that the exercise will be hitch-free.

Uba Nana added that the Caretaker Committee at the state level has briefed the LGAs and Wards leadership on the guidelines and modalities for the exercise assuring that nothing will be done outside the guidelines.

Majority Leader of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Tijani Mohammed Aliyu expressed confidence that the exercise will be hitch-free because according to him the APC in Bauchi State is a united entity in spite of the temporary setback which he assured will not be repeated in future.

Similarly, the Caretaker Committee chairman of the party in Benue State, Comrade Abba Yaro on Saturday said that all hands are on deck to ensure the success of the party membership registration and validation. Yaro said that the party in the state is one big family, adding that, “every member is prepared to ensure the success of the registration exercise. The caretaker chairman noted that as the rank of the party grows in number with the movement of big politicians from other parties to APC, allayed the fear of possible crack in the party.

In Rivers State, despite the many odds including two opposing factions and several confusing litigations seemingly standing against it, the exercise will go on with the members’ revalidation and registration exercise. Isaac Ogbobula,

Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party in the state speaking via telephone stated the readiness of the party to go on with the exercise saying there was nothing stopping the party from proceeding with the exercise as scheduled. “There is no litigation stopping us from going on with the exercise. We have a judgment of court protecting us and directing us to go on with exercise. To perform our functions as offers of the party. There is a judgment to that effect, so there›s nothing stopping us from going on with the exercise,” he said.

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