APC crisis deepens as youths kick out Buni committee, inaugurate ‘new exco’

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a different dimension on Monday as youths in the party’s fold announced the dissolution of the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and inaugurated a new caretaker committee.

The youths, under the aegis of the Progressive Youth Movement (PYM), at a press conference in Abuja, fixed February 26, 2021, for the party’s national convention.

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But, in a swift reaction, the top echelon of the ruling party said the Buni-led committee remained sacrosanct.

The Buni-led committee was inaugurated in June 2020 and saddled with the responsibility to among other things, organise a national convention following the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC), over alleged abuse of office.

But for over a year, the Committee has failed to organise an elective national convention.

However, with the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the party has fixed February 2022, for the convention without any specific date, thus, giving birth to protests, acrimony and bickering within its fold.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Chairman of the new Caretaker Committee, Prince Mustapha Audu, who is the son of a former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu, explained that they were out to “rescue the party from total collapse.”

He said, “Today we are here to inaugurate the PYM – CECPC, these young men and women of noble repute have been carefully selected and mandated by all the well-meaning young stakeholders of our great party, the APC, to plan and execute our convention before the end of February 2022.”

Other committee members inaugurated at the event are; Vice Chairman (North), Tukur Tukur Buratai; Vice Chairman (South), Busayo Akinnadeju; South West Representative, Hon. Omowunmi Ogungbaibi; South East Representative, Barr Nonso Nwaebili and South-South Representative, Prince Godswill Edward.

North Central Representative is; Dr Ibrahim Abdul; North East Representative, Hon. Ibrahim A. Waziri; North West Representative, Bello Bala Shagari; Senate Representative, Sen. Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan; House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Physically Challenged, Sajo Xcarfini.

But reacting, the APC deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, said the youths lacked the power to dissolve the Buni-led Committee, saying they were not members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).