Politics
APC National Convention Slated For February In Doubt As Peace Panel Flops
There may be a shift of date for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, National Congress earlier scheduled for February 2022, a party member disclosed on anonymity.
Naija News recalls that Governor Mai Mala-Buni Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC had earlier assured that the ruling party’s convention will hold in February.
The Governor of Kebbi State who doubles as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, had said while speaking after the party’s tripartite meeting held on Monday, November 22 in Aso Villa that a committee for the convention will be set up very soon.
While defending Mala-Buni committee on why there was delay in the conduction of the party congress, Bagudu said the postponement of the exercise till next year was due to the protracted crises in Anambra, Zamfara and other state chapters, logistic challenges, preparation by Christians for Christmas and the proposed governorship election in Ekiti State.
Bagudu assured that February 5 is unshaken for the congress.
However, the proposed date for the APC national convention ahead of the 2023 general elections is said to be in doubt as the national reconciliation committee set up by the party to curb hostilities has failed to make headway three months after it was set up.
Also, due to the plenitude of cases in court, the APC feared that its national convention could be declared illegal if court cases instituted in several states were not withdrawn or concluded.
A member of the APC CECPC who anonymously communicated with the PUNCH said the party was not sure of the February convention because of the various cases instituted by its aggrieved members.
He stated, “If we go ahead with the convention and allow a faction in a state to attend, the other group may get a court order against the convention. We are not happy with the plethora of court cases by members who have remained adamant and refused to withdraw cases.“
The PUNCH also alleged that a lawyer handling one of the cases in the court had disclosed that, “The APC is now in a quagmire. Several cases have been instituted challenging the legitimacy of Buni’s committee. Should that committee go ahead with the convention and the court rules that Buni’s committee is illegal, then the convention is null and void.
“Also, the APC cannot decide on its own to recognise any faction until the courts have decided. If for instance in Zamfara State, Governor Matawalle’s faction takes part in the convention and the court later recognises former Governor Yari’s faction, then the entire convention has a legitimacy issue and may have to be conducted all over again.
“If such a thing happens across four states, then you can be sure that the convention will have to be done all over again,” the lawyer added.
Naija News learnt that in another exclusive interview, a chieftain of the APC in Kwara State told The PUNCH that it was unlikely that the APC would be able to hold its convention in February.
He said, “The committee is expected to meet with us in Kwara in the second week of January. And the convention is slated for February. From the look of things, they will not be able to complete their task before the convention.”
