By Emmanuel Mogbede, Abuja/Adeyemi Adeleye, Lagos/Abiodun Esan, Ilorin
Feb. 21, 2022
The Caretake and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of All Progressives Congress (APC) says it cannot be stampeded into taking action that can be inimical to the party.
Mr Yekini Nabena, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Committee said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Nabena while speaking on debates on the party’s National Convention, said there was no stipulated time for the party to hold its convention.
However, the APC, South African Chapter, on Monday urged the leadership of the party not to shift the national convention scheduled for Feb. 26.
The Chairman of the chapter, Mr. Bola Babarinde, in a statement in Lagos said the postponement might spell doom for the ruling party.
Also on Monday, in Ilorin, Kwara State, a chieftain of the party in Kwara, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, cautioned the leadership of the party against another postponement, insisting, in an interview, that postponing the convention again may not augur well for the party.
Nabena, in his statement, condemned those he described as fifth columnists and their sponsors who were working against the APC national leadership.
Nabena said that those sponsoring campaigns of calumny on national television, and other media platforms against the party’s leadership, especially with regards to the national convention should be careful of their actions.
“The people should realise that the party’s national convention will come and go, but the damage they will have cost the party’s image would remain,” he said, stressing that the APC leadership had already identified some governors and ministers who were believed to be the sponsors of the unwarranted media attacks on the party’s Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC.
He appealed to the party’s leaders at all levels to trust the CECPC leadership and eschew every form of action that would portray the APC in bad light.
“Those sponsoring fifth columnists against the APC chairman and the party’s leadership are like political vultures who feed on dead meat, but presently there are no dead meat for them to eat.
“The party leadership knows them, and at the appropriate time, actions will be taken against them according to the APC Constitution,” he said.
The South African chapter Chairman of the APC, Mr. Babarinde, said: “The interest of the survival of the party which is almost in disarray must be a priority.
“Postponing the national convention is going to be the most miscalculated idea that could be conceived by any one at a leadership cadre within the party structure.”
According to him, members of diaspora chapters are already arriving in Nigeria to be part of the convention.
“Friends and foes of the party are on the watch, we are all waiting for an elected chairman to emerge on Feb. 26.
“Postponement of this august event will kill the morale of party members and our supporters through the width and breadth of the country,” he added.
According to him, it is still very fresh in the memories how and why the Gov. Mai Mala Buni- led caretaker committee was constituted.
Babarinde recounted that some party faithful were not in support of the removal of the Adam Oshiomhole-led executive council.
He said that some party faithful accepted the development just for the purpose of peace in the party.
He added: “The Buni led committee had a six-month mandate to hold a convention and hand over to elected executives.
“The committee has paddled the party affairs for close to two years now.
“This caretaker committee has outlived its usefulness and any further delay in conducting a convention and handing over to elected national working committee will spell doom for the party in the 2023 polls and beyond.”
He decried the fallouts of the state congresses of the party and conduct of parallel congresses in some states.
Babarinde said that a lot of preparations had been put in place by stakeholders for the Feb. 26 National Convention, hence the need to carry on with the process.
Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo in Ilorin, said: “I believe that the convention should not be postponed again; this is because Nigerians will not take APC seriously if the convention is further postponed.
“Postponement of the convention will kill the morale of party members and our supporters throughout the width and breadth of the country.
“In fact, the postponement will be a confirmation that the Gov. Buni-led caretaker committee is up to a hidden agenda,” Oyedepo added.
He also cautioned against any crisis at the convention because of unfairness and injustice perpetrated by the national caretaker committee.
“I also envisage that there might be a crisis at the convention; the leadership of the party should know the possibility of crisis and to work along the line of ameliorating it.
“The injustice is not in one state, it is virtually in at least, not less than 30 states of the federation where you can get pockets of crises or troubles.
“So, if we go into the convention on the 26th of this month, what I think may happen is that some people may not come for the convention believing that they are not part of it.
“Some people may come to watch the proceedings to know how it will go, not necessarily because they wish the party well, but they want to see how the party will crash.
“Some people may want to go there to foment trouble and show their indignation against a party that cannot take care of their interest.
“These are things that I think may happen at that convention,” Akogun added.
The convention which was initially scheduled for October 2021, was shifted to Feb. 26, 2022.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that new national executives are expected to be elected at the Feb. 26 APC National Convention, to manage its affairs presently under the CECPC.
