The Nation
All Progressives Congress (APC) governors at the weekend foiled a plan to shift the party’s convention.
The governors at a meeting in Abuja voted for the convention to hold on February 26, and sent emissaries to President Muhammadu Buhari on the need for the convention to hold as decided.
Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni was mandated to discuss the date with the President ahead of the committee’s meeting.
The President affirmed the February 26 date at the meeting with Buni on Monday.
Some National Caretaker Committee members rooting for the postponement of the convention were overruled at the governors’ meeting, a source said.
But, to convey an impression of a win-win situation at the Sunday meeting, the governors passed a vote of confidence in Buni.
The governors are, however, keeping a tab on some backers of the CECPC on the plot to stop the convention through a court order.
President Buhari, who had received many representations, supported the governors’ push for a democratic structure in the party instead of the continuation of an ad hoc leadership.
The President also directed the CECPC to keep to its earlier proposal to hold the convention in February.
A source said the CECPC presented a proposal on why the national convention cannot hold next month.
The caretaker committee pleaded for time to conclude party congresses in some states; conclude ongoing reconciliation by the Senator Abdullahi Adamu Committee; and resolve ongoing cases in courts.
But, the pro-convention governors, who had secured a majority before the meeting, rejected the proposal.
The governors felt that time was not on the side of APC as it prepares for next year’s polls.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We did not just agree on the February 26 timeline for the national convention of the party; we had some arguments.
“The CECPC advanced reasons the convention cannot hold in February. The excuses were the prevalent court cases, the ongoing reconciliation and the inconclusive party congresses in one or two states.
“Some governors said the alleged challenges listed by the Caretaker Committee were not enough to shift the national convention.
“They cited cases of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which conducted its national convention, despite the fact that its immediate past National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, is still in court.
“Some governors also drew the attention of the Progressive Governors Forum to the fact that PDP conducted ward congresses in some states about one month after its national convention. They also said reconciliation is a continuous process.”
Another source said: “Following incontrovertible arguments, the governors overruled the CECPC’s proposal to postpone the convention.
“At the end of the day, the majority had their way. Those supporting the caretaker committee were shocked, but they had no choice but to abide by the decision of the majority.
