Stakeholders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have described the recent statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that the national convention of the party slated for March 26 will go ahead as planned as reassuring.
They believed that the President is on the same page with millions of party members on the need for the convention of the party to hold on March 26, despite observations made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Recall that the acting Caretaker Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello last week wrote and signed a letter sent to the INEC.
Bello and Mamman signed the letter, which was to serve as a notice to the commission on APC’s decision to hold an emergency NEC meeting.
But INEC, had while responding, in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Omoa Oriaran-Anthony and dated March 9, 2022, said the party must give it 21 days notice and that the letter wasn’t signed by the Caretaker Chairman, Mai Mala Buni and the Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe.
It said: “The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman (Buni) and National Secretary (Akpanudoedehe) 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 executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective offices”.