Confusion over Muiz Banire’s report as APC inaugurates eight-member constitutional review committee

The All Progressives Congress Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee has inaugurated an eight-member committee to review its constitution.

National Secretary of the APCECPC, James Akpan Udoedehe, inaugurated the team which has Professor Tahir Mamman, (SAN) as Chairman. It has a one-month timeline to submit its recommendations.

Tribune Online checks revealed that a similar Committee led by a former National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire, was saddled with a similar assignment by a former national chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun in 2017.

Further checks revealed that while submitting the report of his 10-man Committee, Banire who incidentally served in the APC National Working Committee under Chief Oyegun told newsmen that his Committee proposed 85 amendments to the APC Constitution.

According to the former national legal adviser, the major areas of amendments included, powers, responsibilities and functions of party organs, the composition of organs, disciplinary procedure, definitions, financial management, membership, organisational structure and tenure.

Addressing the new Constitution Review Committee on Tuesday, Senator Udoedehe said the chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni “believes that in rebuilding the party, there must be reforms that reflect the current trends and aspirations of the owners of the party – that is the people, the masses.”

Justifying its plan to review the Party Constitution, Senator Udoedehe maintained that “no Constitution is perfect and the law itself is not a finished product, but, work-in-progress.

“Our party has grown quite large in the last few years and is poised to become the largest party in the continent with the on-going membership registration and revalidation exercise, hence we must have a set of laws that is near-perfect, by filling the lacunas!

“Therefore, your work is well set-out for you.”

In an apparent reference to the recommendations of the 10 -man Muiz Banire Committee, the APC national Secretary advised the Professor Mamman team to ensure that “all previous efforts in this wise should also be countenanced.”

In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Committee submitted that having served the Party for many years, the review of the APC Constitution was long overdue.

“No doubt, arising from the operation of the Constitution of the party and activities of the party for close to a decade now, a lot has happened that the Constitution of the party did not envisage, both in the structures and organ of the party, the relationship among organs and officers, processes etc that may require a second look.

“Of course, a constitution of a political party like that of a country is both a legal and political instrument. “It can never address all the issues for all times. Much of its success depends on the operators imbibing the spirit of democracy, good faith. and a sense of self-control. However, a vibrant constitutional foundation is fundamental for certainty and clarity of Power, Functions, Processes and Privileges in the institution.”

He assured the APCECPC that his team would be diligent in the assignment it has been saddled with.

“On behalf of the Review Committee, the party is assured that this Committee will approach its task with all the seriousness it deserves.

“In order to ensure that the exercise is all-inclusive, we will be seeking inputs from all interested stakeholders and our existing structures at the state level.

“We solicit that members across the country should endeavour to be active participants.

“What we will be proposing where desirable, will go through the appropriate superior organs of the party and eventually the National Convention.”

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Confusion over Muiz Banire’s report as APC inaugurates eight-member constitutional review committee