• Why members must compel Buni to hands off, by ex-PGF DG
ALL Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts have expressed concern over alleged move to scuttle the party’s national convention scheduled to hold on Saturday.
The APC Rebirth Group, led by Comrade Aliyu Audu, regretted that the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), led by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, has not put in place tangible plans to achieve the objective.
Audu, who faulted inability of the CECPC to constitute sub-committees as at Friday, last week, said: “I will not make haste to arrive at any conclusions yet, but it is obvious that this convention won’t hold on Saturday, from what we have seen on ground so far.
“My group will meet over the issue. We will take a position in due course. It is unfortunate that this is happening in the party after all the promises by the Buni-led caretaker committee.”
Aliyu, who is one of the vitriolic critics of the committee, disagreed with notions held in certain quarters that uncertainty over the convention might have stemmed from President Buhari’s visit to Brussels for the Europe-Africa Summit.
Findings by The Guardian revealed that aspirants vying for various seats in the National Working Committee (NWC) are yet to pick up forms.
An official of the party, who asked not to be named, said not much can be done about the convention until the zoning of party positions has been agreed upon by stakeholders that include Buhari, members of the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), the leadership of the National Assembly and other caucus members.
CECPC secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, could not be reached, via phone, to bare his mind on the issue as at 2:00 p.m. yesterday.
However, a chieftain of the party, and former Director General of PGF, Dr. Salihu Lukman, insisted there was need to compel the committee to live up to its promises.
He made this known in a statement, yesterday, titled, ‘A Comparative Review of Performances in Government’.
He expressed concern over the development, noting that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was already making political gains out of the situation.
He said: “Every committed party leader and member must rise to the challenge of compelling Buni and his team of undertakers to hands off the party by ensuring that the February 26, 2022 national convention is successful.”
Party leaders and members need to put behind all the uncertainty created by Buni around the convention, so that the business of preparation for the 2023 electoral contest can earnestly begin in APC.”
