Convention: APC keeps members guessing

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), has inaugurated Wards Congresses Appeal Committees, with a mandate to look at grievances trailing the recently conducted exercise.

Secretary of the APC CECPC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe conducted the exercise on Wednesday at the party national secretariat. He was silent on the terms of reference of the Committee but told members in attendance to use the party guidelines for the recently conducted exercise and the APC Constitution as their guide.

Investigation revealed that each state will have a five-man team to look at petitions to be tabled by aggrieved chieftains in each of the states of the federation except Zamfara, Anambra and Federal Capital Territory where the exercise was put on hold.

Senator Akpanudoedehe who tasked those given the assignment to be diligent and transparent in their conduct dropped the hint that the CECPC would not proceed with the conduct of local, state and zonal Congresses until the Committee submits its report.

He premised the initiative to set up Ward Congress Appeal Committee across states on the need to allow aggrieved chieftains to make use of the party internal mechanisms on conflict resolutions rather than recourse to court action.

He said:” “It is trite to note that, the Congresses to produce our party organs across had commenced on the 31st of July, 2021 and you will agree with me that it went substantially well.

“However, it is expected that where ever and whenever there’s a competition, of course, there is bound to be contestations.

“Therefore as an organization based on rules and procedures, avenues and channels must be provided for party members who are dissatisfied with the processes, to ventilate their grievances through an internal mechanism, hence this Wards Congresses Appeals Committee in the circumstance of this exercise.

“This party is for all Nigerians, therefore we must show, not only by words but by concrete actions that there’s no attempt to exclude or sideline anybody in the course of the exercise. This is very fundamental, not only to the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee but to the preservation of the very essence of the Party.

“Your actions in this wise will help engender cohesion, build trust and confidence in this all-important exercise.

“Today, you have been entrusted with one of the most solemn obligations of citizenship which is to help deepen our democratisation processes and strengthen the polity.

“You all were carefully selected based on your proven records. We trust in your strength of character, your integrity and your capacity to be fair in your dealings to those who approach your committees.

“The Chairman had directed that I remind all party members that this is a family affair, hence differences should be handled with the understanding that no dispute is worth the destruction of the house you jointly erected. ”
“The party’s guidelines for the exercise and the constitution shall be your guide. The terms of reference shall be made available hereafter.”

The Secretary of the CECPC also restated the position of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN and the Progressive Governors Forum that Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni position as acting national chairman of the party neither breached provisions of the Constitution and the 1999 Constitution.

Senator Akpanudoedehe dismissed those canvassing a contrary legal opinion based on the Supreme Court judgement on a petition filed by the PDP Governorship candidate in last October governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede SAN, against the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN as malicious and self-serving.

“In the past few days, the media space has been filled with commentaries on the Supreme Court judgment in Jegede v. Akeredolu, with persons who should know better, coming out with very malicious and self-serving opinions, just to play on the gullibility of the public, while forgetting that our party is made up of very intelligent, sound and intellectually proficient persons who have seen beneath their grandstanding.

“The majority judgment of the Supreme Court has strengthened the position of the CECPC and our Chairman. The minority judgment serves only for academic purposes, nothing more.

“The Attorney General of the federation is the chief law officer of the federation has stated that we are on firm ground and advised that we proceed with the processes of the Congresses.

“The Progressives Governors Forum through their extensive legal apparatchik have x-rayed the generality of the issue in their meeting of 8/8/2021 and have re-affirmed their support to the CECPC and urged the CECPC to proceed with the Congresses as scheduled.”

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