Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has called on Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni, to organise the party’s national convention in December, in line with the mandate given to the committee, or quit.
Buni’s committee was inaugurated in June, 2020, and saddled with the responsibility of administering the party’s affairs and organising a national convention within six months, following the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Many APC stalwarts and groups are mounting pressure on Buni’s committee to organise a national convention where a new crop of National Working Committee (NWC) members will emerge.
Lending his voice in a statement on Sunday, Marafa said the decision of the committee to conduct membership registration was clearly outside its mandate, describing it as diversionary and an attempt by Buni to perpetuate himself in office.
On the committee’s appointment
Marafa, who is leading a faction of the APC in Zamfara State, said (to Buni): “Don’t overstretch your luck, we are not afraid of you.
“Many of us are aware that your appointment is unconstitutional, [section 17(iv) of our party’s constitution is very clear].
“We only kept quiet because of the respect we have for the. President, and the belief that the party needs to open a new page.”
“Be informed that any action you take outside your primary mandate of organising a convention that will usher in a new set of executives will be null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
“You have up to December to do the needful or we chase you out.
“Your state needs you more than the party, go and administer your state, you can’t be Governor and Chairman of APC at the same time. It’s unconstitutional.
“We are eager to witness the emergence of a responsible leadership, a leadership we all can trust, a leadership that will carry every member, every section, every tribe along, not the type that leads by deceit and lies,” he said.
‘We’re still in crisis’
Reacting, the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, told our correspondent in a telephone chat that Marafa’s call was a distraction, saying mischief-makers were at work.
“I told you earlier that you can’t go into a national convention with a divided house. There must be peace.
“The Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni is indisputably working hard to reposition the party and this is evidenced in the achievements recorded so far.
“So party members should be patient and stop distracting the Caretaker Committee. Members of the Committee are not hungry. Buni is not hungry, he is not looking for a job, he is a serving governor.
“They should be happy that the Committee is trying to bring peace to the party before the convention. Reckless statements will not help the situation, ” he said.
