Barring any hiccup, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will meet soon to take decision on whether or not to extend the tenure of its Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) headed by the Governor of Yobe State Mai Mala Buni.
The committee’s six-month tenure is supposed to end on June 30, 2021, after an initial extension on December 8, 2020.
The 13-member CECPC emerged on June 25, 2020, to calm frayed nerves following crises that dogged the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC). It was mandated to reconcile aggrieved members, sort out all lingering court cases and other discontents that birthed many factions within the party.
Analysts were of the view that the task of the committee was herculean and could not be addressed within the six-month timeline. The prediction came to pass and the committee got another six-month extension.
CECPC not ready for convention
One year down the line, however, there is no indication that the committee has purged the party of the discontents which depleted its fortune ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The committee recently confirmed that its mandate of repositioning the party ahead of its national convention was ongoing.
Reacting to media reports of its alleged plan to roll out the timetable for the party’s national convention, the committee said it had a lot of ground to cover in its mandate to put the party on the right footing ahead of the 2023 general elections.
An impeccable source within the party in the report averred that, “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee to perfect its act as he (president) is not ready to entertain any tenure extension for the committee at the expiration of its term come June 30.”
However, the Secretary of CECPC, James Akpanudoedehe, said the report was in bad taste and a “handiwork of political jobbers masquerading as media sources.
“The CECPC is focused and is delivering on its mandate to recover, rebuild and reposition the APC, as well as achieve peace-building, true reconciliation and to give a sense of belonging to every member of the party.”
Akpanudoedehe added that the committee would communicate the outcome of its activities through official channels.
Knocks for the committee
However, the CECPC secretary’s statement further fuelled the suspicion among some stakeholders that the committee is “just a pawn in a chess game” and that the delay is part of a grand plan to further strengthen “the control mechanism” ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Some stalwarts faulted the secretary for failing to properly address the issue of the timetable for the convention which is of more interest to members of the party, describing his statement as “vague and ambiguous”.
Some stalwarts also fear that delaying the convention unnecessarily can have legal implications, especially that it is part of the electoral process recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and which must be conducted within the electoral body’s timetable.
An elder statesman and party stalwart, Chief Chekwas Okorie, noted that, “Anything that will open the party to litigations should be avoided because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is standing by the corner to cash in on any confusion.”
Meanwhile, the pro-Buni group argued that it would be suicidal to railroad the committee into aborting its assignment midway; having achieved so much in the reconciliation drive and already harvesting big names from the main opposition PDP.
Committee’s achievements
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that the Buni-led committee has won over notable personalities such as former Speakers of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and Dimeji Bankole; former Governor Gbenga Daniel (Ogun) and Governor Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) to the ruling party’s fold.
The party also added Governor Ben Ayade (Cross River) to its kitty recently amid speculations that Zamfara’s Bello Matawalle and Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed are also waiting in the wings to swell the ranks of the progressives.
The party’s internal conflict resolution mechanism through the reconciliation committee led to the withdrawal of litigations initiated by some of its members against it (party). The committee met with warring factions across the country and cemented bonds in some states.
Perhaps one of its major reconciliation successes, apart from bringing estranged former members on board again, was settling the feud between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Timipre Sylva. Also, its nationwide membership registration, revalidation and updating exercise, according to its secretary, has so far earned it 40 million members; even as it is strategising to increase the number. The party won the off-season Ondo governorship election, senatorial seats in Lagos and Plateau, as well as some Houses of Assembly seats, among other achievements.
Why CECPC’s tenure extension is likely
The inability of the committee to come up with a timetable for the party’s convention remains its sore point which tends to eclipse its many achievements in putting the party on sound footing. The revalidation exercise it initiated is still inconclusive, so are the ward, local and state congresses through which delegates for the national convention are supposed to emerge. The party’s constitution amendment committee is also yet to make the all-important document ready to be used during the convention.
With the many unresolved issues, analysts believe an extension is necessary and desirable; even by a few months, to enable the committee to conclude what it started.
A former Chairman of the Niger State chapter of the party, Engineer Jibrin Imam, told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that an extension under the present circumstances was inevitable, saying, “From all indications, the convention can hardly meet the requirements of a democratic process.”
Engr Imam further said the NEC might meet to consider the report the reconciliation committee would present “which you know will not be holistic, and ask for more time.”
However, spokesman for Concerned APC Members, Abdullahi Dauda, cautioned that extending the convention unnecessarily would put the party’s future at stake.
Dauda said, “Delaying the convention will amount to postponing the evil day, and that is why all issues which will emanate after the congresses must be resolved in good time.”
