APC Convention: Stakeholders Adopt Zoning Party’s National Offices -By Abba Dukawa

The governing APC have engulfed from one feud to other all in efforts by segment of stakeholders to takes the control of party structure the crisis has grown to pitiable and dirty politics resulting in booting out two party National Working committee.  Some ruling governing party members argued that  former National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun responsible for the crisis in the party other blame  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) which was  was sacked to pave way for an end to the internal leadership crisis that rocked its rank and file.  To pave way for an end to the internal leadership crisis within the governing government party led to the formation   of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Governor Mala Buni and turns out to be good in saving  APC from implosion.

In 2019  there were series of serious intra – party squabbles, APC also disqualified from participating in the Rivers state gubernatorial election,  as it’s failed to act in line with electoral act of conducting internal primary election to choice its flag bearer in Rivers state.  party lost six states to PDP Zamfara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Sokoto, Oyo, and Benue states. Oshiomole’s led NWC badly managed governorship election victory in Bayelsa state.

As stabilising caretaker committee embarked on the visitation and consultations mission  met all national leaders and other party stakeholders across the country in order to accommodate all interests. Members expressed hope that interim committee would healing the wounds of party members by repositioning the party and peace would be restored to the party after the protracted leadership crisis. 

At different time, under Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee APC stands in  two gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states.  The party lost Edo state  Godwin Obaseki and other stakeholders of the party    defected to PDP and  won his reelection.  But CECPC able to  reconciled all the governorship aspirants in Ondo state for the successful re-election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.  Against all odds,  three serving state governors Dave Umuahi of Ebonyi; Ben Ayade of Cross River and Bello Mutawalle of Zamfara  defected from PDP along with their supporters. Atiku Abubakar’s  Presidential campaign organization, former Ogun state Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and and Lt. Gen. Ihejirika have joined APC. Others are two former speakers of House of Representatives – Yakubu Dogara and Dimeji Bankole, Barnabas Gemade former PDP chairman, among others. 

Even though CECPC of the party conducted ward congress, local government congress and the state congress, where officers were elected into their respective offices. A high-powered Reconciliation Committee led by Sen. Abdullahi Adamu was set up in  to ensure harmony within the party. 

CECPC doing the right thing for not skipping the zonal congress for national convention would have amounted to jumping the gun and it would have been disastrous and a breach to the party’s constitution, should anticipated national convention hold. Shifting the date of must anticipated party’s convention from 26th February to 26th March really  save the party from likely bursts as some heavyweights and pressure groups within the party have also relentlessly proposed one system or the other, intended to scheme other groups or blocs. 

In the letter, the APC caretaker committee informed INEC that the notice for the conduct of the zonal congresses superseded the earlier notice for the conduct of the national convention. Parts of the letter read, “This notice supersedes our earlier notice for the National Convention referenced APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/22/14. This is predicated on the evaluation of our party Constitution.

“In furtherance to Article 85 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and compliance with Section 12:6 of our Party Constitution, we hereby write to notify the Commission that our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled to hold its zonal congresses on Saturday 26th March, 2022.

After days of vacillation of zoning of party offices,  have  finally agreed the current vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) between the Northern and Southern parts of the country ahead of March 26 national convention. Therefore  the  forthcoming National convention will produce National Working Committee base on consensus as APC  have produced a number of National Chairmen by consensus;  the pioneer chairman of the party Bisi Akande emerged by consensus, John Oyegun, and Adams Oshiomhole, both emerged by consensus. 

There is no doubt the committee has made great achievements and rescued the party from an imminent collapse by  charted a new course with renewed commitment and dedication for the party to be stronger in spite pockets of disagreements here and there in the governing party, the battle for the soul.  There is need for stakeholders and members at all levels to remain resolute and continue to support APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Governor Mala Buni’s  were indeed exceptional and extraordinary. Had been slated 26th  February National Convention not postpone it could be a disaster for the ruling party and would   have resulted in putting the cart before the horse.

Democracy can only thrives when there is peace, stability and proper functioning of internal conflict resolution mechanisms of political parties.  

Dukawa write in from Kano abbahydukawa@gmail.com