The National Executive Committee, NEC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was held Monday with state chairmen of the party canvassing an extension of the tenure of the party executives at all levels.
The campaign of the state chairmen came ahead of speculations that the NEC would dissolve the John Odigie-Oyegun led national executive of the party.
That move, Vanguard learnt is, however, being strongly opposed by the majority of the governors despite the alleged support of the dissolution by President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s lead trouble shooter, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Today’s NEC meeting is expected to set the date for the national convention of the ruling party which if it holds would come at least more than two years late.
The National Convention of the party under its constitution is supposed to hold every two years, and it has been due since 2016.
The party has been largely faulted for failure to hold statutory meetings, including NEC, national caucus and has also been unable to inaugurate its Board of Trustees, BoT.
Ahead of the apprehension of the fate of the National Working Committee, NWC, the party’s state chairmen in a meeting Monday resolved among others that all standing structures of the party be sustained in the face of what the chairmen said was the short period between the expected national convention and the commencement of primaries for the 2019 General Elections.
A statement from the forum of state chairmen on their resolution read thus:
a. That we support His Excellency Senator Bola Tinubu-led peace and reconciliation committee and urge the committee to expedite action in reconciling members of the party. The forum also calls on all the members of our great party to give maximum support to the committee to achieve sustainable peace in the party
b. In view of the short period between the time available for the proposed party congresses and INEC published time-table for conduct of party primaries and general elections, the forum resolved that the tenure of the present officers of the party at all levels be extended by two years to avert challenges in the party.
c. in view of the reasons as adduced above, and the fact that the present constitution as amended in 2014 has not been fully tested in the short life of the party, the forum resolved that the proposed amendment of the party constitution be suspended.
d. The forum extends our heartfelt condolences and sympathizes with the good people of Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, Zamfara, Yobe and Bomo States for the attacks on them by the enemies of our dear country.
