Hope of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni and Secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe returning to office is foreclosed.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday evening, Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai declared that the CECPC Chairman and Secretary would not return.
Straightnews had reported that the leadership saga within the APC took a new dimension on Monday when Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello took over the CECPC and declared himself as the acting chairman.
Buni was said to be out of the country for medical reasons but Bello also told newsmen that he had the blessings and support of President Muhammadu Buhari to take over the party leadership.
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It has since remained unclear if Buni will be returning to the seat or will be shown the exit door.
But on Wednesday, Governor El-Rufai submitted that Buni can only return as the Yobe State Governor and not as the APC Caretaker chairman.
He added that the same thing applies to the CECPC Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.
He added that Bello has the backing of President Buhari and 19 governors.
The Kaduna State Governor said both Buni and Akpanudoedehe were relieved of their duties based on the directive of President Buhari which he issued shortly before his medical trip to London on Sunday.
El-Rufai stated “Buni is gone, the secretary is gone. Gov. Bello is in charge and he has the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari and 19 governors. Buni can only return as governor of Yobe but never as chairman of our party.
“President Buhari ordered his removal and this has been implemented. Governor Bello has taken over and things are moving according to plan. Party will be restored, convention will take place as scheduled. 19 governors and their deputies are solidly behind this move. Buni and his people got a court order to stop the convention but hid it.”
Straightnews learned that Bello-led executive had asked Akpanudoedehe who issued a press release Monday that he was not aware of the new leadership but that Buni was still holding the axe head to resign.
”When he failed to resign, the new executive passed a vote of no confidence on the National Secretary who hurriedly tendered his letter of resignation and left the party secretariat.
Straightnews gathered that conspiracy was a grand plot to remove the National Secretary. Buni was pretentiously asked to go on medical treatment as a ploy to ease out Akpanudoedehe. Before the NEC meeting, he will return but would not be allowed to continue as the Chairman.’’
According to the source, some powers-that-be were uncomfortable for packing the APC Convention list of with many Akwa Ibom persons to the utter neglect of other states.
APC Fixes date for NEC
Meanwhile, APC) has announced that it will be holding an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday, March 17.
The meeting which will be held at 11:00 am virtually is expected to discuss the convention scheduled for March 26 and other party-related issues.
The party noted this in a joint statement by some of its members in Pursuant to Article 25B (i and ii) of the Party Constitution, and by the power vested on the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) via the NEC resolution of 8th December 2020.
“The CECPC of the party at its 23rd meeting of 8th March 2022, hereby calls for the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to consider matters pertaining to the national convention, governance of the party and any other relevant business of the party,” the communique read.
“All members of the NEC are by this invitation to take notice of the meeting in accordance with article 12.3.”
