•Earlier date wasn’t sacrosanct, says Akpanudoedehe
•Tinubu, other presidential hopefuls now in suspense
The much-awaited congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), earlier scheduled to commence July 10, may not hold, as the leadership of the party has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the immediate postponement of the exercise
In the letter dated July 6, 2021, with reference number APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/021/39, and addressed to Chairman of the electoral body, the ruling party did not state any reason for the indefinite postponement of the congresses.
But National Secretary of APC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said the party did not intend a postponement of the congresses but to cure legal landmines since the earlier date was not sacrosanct.
Unfortunately, by the development, the 2023 permutations by one of the national leaders of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as well as other contenders, may have been put in suspense.
The letter, which was signed by National Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni, and Akpanudoedehe, stated that the postponement served as a formal notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 85 of the Electoral Act (2010), as amended.
The letter read, “We refer to our letter reference number APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/012/20 dated 10th June, 2021 on the above subject and wish to inform the Commission that the party has rescheduled its Congresses and National Convention to a later date, which will be communicated to you.
“This serves as a formal notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 85 of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended. While hoping to receive your cooperation, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.”
The timetable and schedule of activities released by the party’s Director of Organisation, Professor Al-Mustapha Medaner, showed that the congresses would commence with the sale of nomination forms for the ward congress between July 1 and July 7. The party also fixed the inauguration of Ward/Local Government Area Congress Screening/Screening Appeal Committees for July 10, 2021; Ward Congress was billed for July 24, local government congress was slated for August 14, and the state congress was to hold on the September 18, 2021.
THISDAY investigation revealed that the inability of the national secretariat of the party to distribute the nomination forms for all the congresses to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) led to the postponement.
While the party has started taking delivery of the materials for the congresses in batches, as of the close of work on Friday, no state had taken possession of the nomination forms for any of the congresses.
The APC national secretary said, “The above document in circulation did not intend a postponement of the ccongresses. How it leaked from INEC is strange. It is to cure the legal landmine occasioned by Section 85 of the Electoral Act on the issuance of 21 days notice to INEC, bearing in mind that the earlier date we released was not sacrosanct.”
Apart from logistics challenges that caused delay in the distribution of the forms, some states were still in crisis over membership registration and as a result, some members were allegedly denied registration. It was against this background that the leadership of the party, last week, approved the continuation of the party’s membership registration revalidation and update exercise in Imo, Kwara, Ogun, and Rivers states.
Akpanudoedehe had in a statement said the approval followed the recommendation of the membership registration appeals committee.
He said, “With this approval, the membership registration, revalidation and register update exercise in the four states will continue for two weeks.
“Those who have not been registered in these states can purchase forms for congresses, party office elections and convention. For congresses in Rivers State, all those who have purchased forms in the past will be allowed to participate in the congresses on the presentation of the bank teller as proof of payment.”
The national secretary warned, “Any attempt to deprive intending registrants would be dealt with accordingly in line with the provisions of the APC constitution and guidelines for the exercise.”
A group, Concerned APC Stakeholders, while reacting, decried the postponement as another scheme by the committee to perpetuate itself in office. The spokesperson of the group, Mr. Abdulahi Dauda, said the excuse they heard was that materials were being printed. But he alleged that the chairman did not carry other members of the caretaker committee along when the timetable for the congresses was issued.
Dauda stated, “The postponement is another scheme to perpetually remain in office, even though they are occupying such offices illegally. The excuse we heard was that the materials were being printed and the chairman did not carry along other members of the caretaker committee in issuing the last statement as regards the congresses through Director of Organisation.
“We are reliably informed that CTC will meet next Tuesday to issue a statement on the new date. However, Buni and co should tread softly and not lead the party to destruction due to greed and inordinate ambition.”
Meanwhile, the indefinite postponement has not only altered calculations in the camps of presidential hopefuls, but also the national chairmanship aspirants, like Saliu Mustapha, George Akume, Al Makura, and Abduallahi Adamu.
The postponement, according to political analysts, may have put the permutations of potential presidential contenders in suspense. Among those who had been drumming for an early convention are the many supporters of the presidential aspiration of Tinubu, who see the election of new principal officers of the party as a first step in their bid for the presidential ticket.
The development is bound to unsettle the TIinubu camp as it has thrown their projections into confusion.
THISDAY
