The Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, says the scheduled date of March 26 for the party’s National Convention is sacrosanct.
When he inaugurated the Chairmen and Secretaries of the APC’s National Convention sub-committees, Governor Bello stated this.
He said the Caretaker Committee is working to ensure that the Convention holds without hitches. Recalled that the APC had earlier released the list of all the sub-committees in charge of planning the Convention.
However, the number of people in the committees have been trimmed down, unlike the initial list released. While explaining the reason for trimming the committees, the APC Acting Chairman said the new list would be released soon.
“Those of you monitoring events in the national secretariat since Monday will notice we are attempting to ensure that there will be a free and fair convention. We have made efforts to inaugurate chairmen and secretaries of the Committees in consideration of tract records and loyalty to the party.
“We ask you to exhibit these qualities to ensure the success of the Convention. I know many of our party faithfuls wanted either to serve in various committees as their support or contributions towards a healthy party. However, we must be mindful that we cannot accommodate everyone on the Committee. So we trimmed down the number to a workable size without undermining everyone, and I think this decision is the best for our party.
“I also want to commend the Caretaker Committee members for their responsibility to compile the list because our party being the largest party if not in Nigeria probably in Africa. They went through hell because everyone wanted to serve, but I think they did their best. Please don’t be offended if you didn’t see your name on the list. I’m sure other opportunities will come in the future. I want to remind you that you have to work hard to ensure that the National Convention will go on March 26, 2022. That day is sacrosanct Insha Allah.
“The final list of the committees will be out possibly today or tomorrow, and I assure you, all corners of the country must be represented,” Governor Bello said.
The Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, who responded on behalf of the Committee’s assured the Acting Chairman of their commitment to delivering the best.
“This is an assignment that we want to commit all our strength and wisdom to accomplish so that our party can be properly positioned to go into the elections ready to deliver to the good people of Nigeria,” Fayemi said.
Meanwhile, a former governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West, Senator Rochas Okorocha, expressed optimism that APC National Convention will finally hold now that the party has new leadership.
He stated this while speaking to journalists at the APC headquarters shortly after the Inauguration. Senator Okorocha advised the new APC Acting Chairman to ensure he carries everyone along so that every party member will have a sense of belonging.
“I can see the light now at the dark end of the tunnel, and I’m more reassured than ever that this Convention will take place and it would be free and fair, given the leadership in place and given the stand of Mr President.
“What needs to be done is to give every member of this party a sense of belonging, not forgetting the founding fathers and the parties that came together to form the APC. One, which is the Congress of Progressives Change (CPC) led by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Rochas Okorocha, The All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) led by Ogbonnaya Onu, Abdulaziz Yari and a host of others” Okorocha said.
The APC chieftain noted that if these people are carried along and the governors are recognised as party leaders, the party will have a peaceful convention.
Senator Okorocha stressed that the party should respect the rule of law and obey the court judgment and orders where they exist as a matter of urgency.
