There has been controversy within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the change in leadership of the party caretaker/extraordinary convention planning committee (CECPC). Over the past days, governors and other stakeholders in the APC have engaged in back-and-forth criticism over the arrangements for the party’s national convention scheduled to hold on March 26.
Amid the controversy over the zoning of national offices also came the change in leadership of the APC national caretaker committee, with Abubakar Sani Bello, governor of Niger, now in charge of the party’s affairs, while Mai Mala Buni, chair of the committee, is said to be away on a medical trip.
According to a report by Punch, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari gave them a directive to remove Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni as the chairman of the caretaker committee of the APC.
Image Credit: Punch
El-Rufai, who disclosed this while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics said governors elected on the party’s platform allowed things to degenerate in the party by taking the back seat.
He further stated that at least 19 out of the 22 APC governors as well as the President were firmly behind Bello as the new caretaker chairman of the party. He said there were about two governors who were still backing Buni, adding that they were the ones sponsoring fake news
Image Credit: Daily Post
According to a report by Daily Post, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in London UK.
Following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC not to recognize the Niger state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello as acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, President Muhammadu Buhari has backtracked on his earlier decision supporting the sack of the CECPC substantive National Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni.
Image Credit: Cable
According to a report by the Cable, President Buhari said his decision was necessitated by the need to save the All Progressives Congress (APC) from INEC’s hammer.
While Buni was on a medical vacation in Dubai after transferring headship of the CECPC to Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, Buni’s alleged sack gained currency in the party, last week.
Bello sought to summon a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), for next Thursday. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to acknowledge him as the chairman of the party, insisting that letters from the APC to the commission must be signed by Buni and Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, the CECPC secretary. It also said the party must give it 21 days notice as required by law to monitor its national convention.
Image Credit: Guardian
Intervening, President Buhari has urged the APC governors to allowed the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni to conduct the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The president said there is a need for the party to avoid litigation owing to the fact that the party has aggrieved members who have threatened to go to court.
He also cautioned governors elected on the APC platform to shun actions and utterances capable of causing disunity within the party.
He said the party could not change the leadership of the CECPC without infringing on the time limit set by INEC, and the current uncertainties and controversies pose a real threat to the party.
