The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new dimension on Wednesday when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected the invitation of Governor Sani Bello, acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee.
Daily Trust had exclusively reported how INEC informed Bello that it did not recongnise his leadership.
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Bello had written INEC to invite the commission to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for next week Thursday via zoom.
But INEC responded saying that Governor Mai Mala Buni is the recongnised chairman of the ruling party.
This has led to controversy because Sani Bello had on Monday shortly after presiding over meetings at the APC national secretariat said he was only acting as chairman.
However, on Wednesday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said Buni who is on a medical trip in Dubai had been removed at the instance of President Buhari.
He blamed Buni for the widening crisis in the party and said that the Yobe governor had been removed for good and that Sani Bello was fully in charge with the support of at least 19 governors of the ruling party.
“Please refer to your letter Ref.APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/022/32, dated 8th March 2022.
“The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018).
“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of the provision in Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires ‘at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, Congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective office.
“While hoping these issues are noted for compliance, please accept the assurance of the Commission’s warm regards.”
APC’ll collapse if NEC fails to constitute convention – Marafa
A former senator from Zamfara State, Kabiru Marafa, has said the ruling APC may likely collapse if the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party refused to set up a committee that will conduct the March 26 national convention of the party.
Marafa, who spoke last night on Trust Television’s Daily Politics programme, described the name ‘Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC)’ as illegal, let alone allowing it to constitute another illegal committee.
