APC NEC meets at Aso Rock

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced its second virtual emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting will “review the party’s position and set agenda for the next move” as the tenure of Governor Mai Mala Buni led 13-Member Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), appointed on June 25 to work for six months, ends in few days.

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In attendance physically are President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The APC governors are led by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu.

17 days to go

The timeline of six months allotted to Governor Buni led CECPC on June 25, 2020 would elapse in the next 17 days.

Top party sources told Daily Trust that the caretaker committee had briefed President Buhari on its milestones and requested more time to enable it to accomplish its assignment which climax is to organise a national convention.

Party leaders, who spoke with our correspondent, confirmed that governors, state chairmen, former governors, Non-NWC NEC members and other stakeholders in the party had been briefed on the planned timeline extension for the committee.

The Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC was dissolved by NEC on June 25, 2020 and the NEC inaugurated the Buni-led committee to take charge of the day-to-day running of the party and to organise a national convention within six months.

Credible sources hinted to our correspondent that the NEC would also deliberate on pending litigations, ratify the new membership registration and revalidation exercise, as well as iron out issues surrounding the national convention to nip in the assuage crises rocking some state chapters of the party.

‘I won’t return as chair’

Meanwhile, the ousted National Chairman of the ruling APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that he will decline to return to the seat if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) which he led.

Oshiomhole, in a statement on Monday titled ‘My Position Has Not Changed’, dismissed the insinuation that he was behind the ongoing court cases seeking to upturn the June 25 NEC decision on his dissolved leadership.

He said: “In reporting the legal action taken by a member of the dissolved NWC of the APC, some attributions have been made to the effect that the plaintiff is an ‘ally of Oshiomhole’ or an ‘associate of Oshiomhole.’ This is despite the fact that the court documents are clear on who the plaintiff really is.

“…Since I could only accept responsibility for my own decision, I instructed my lawyers to withdraw the suits challenging my purported suspension from office by the proxies of those bent on removing me as chairman.

“It is, therefore, the height of mischief to insinuate, as it is being done in some quarters, that I would publicly accept the decision and later surreptitiously seek to contest it in court. That chapter of my political life is closed.

“Even if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution, I will, with utmost humility, decline to return as APC National Chairman,” he said.

Oshiomhole, who appreciated the presidential support and encouragement which he said enabled him to assert the authority of the party without fear or favour, said he would not have lasted as long as he did as national chairman but for the President’s support.

He promised to continue to support the Buhari administration to succeed in serving the common good of the people of Nigeria.

Members of APC NEC

Membership of the National Executive Committee (NEC) includes the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (North), Deputy National Chairman (South), National Secretary, Deputy National Secretary, Six National Vice Chairmen, National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Legal Adviser, National Treasurer, Deputy National Treasurer, National Financial Secretary and Deputy National Financial Secretary.

Also included are; the National Organising Secretary, Deputy National Organising Secretary, National Publicity Secretary, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, National Welfare Secretary, Deputy National Welfare Secretary, National Auditor, Deputy National Auditor, National Women Leader, Deputy National Women Leader, National Youth Leader, Deputy National Youth Leader, Special (Physically Challenged) Leader, Zonal Secretary, Zonal Youth Leader, Zonal Organising Secretary, Zonal Women Leader and States’ Chairmen of the party.

Others are: President, Vice President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governors, Majority or Minority Leader, Party Whip and their Deputies in the Senate and the House of Representatives, two serving senators from each geo-political zone, three members of the House of Representatives from each geo-political zone, six Ex-Officio members from each geo-political zone, serving Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT).