Contrary to expectations of its members and the position of the party’s constitution, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed its national convention to the first quarter of 2018.
Though, the party will still go ahead with the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting slated 31st of October this year.
Recall that the lifespan of the current APC National Working Committee (NWC) is expected to end by June 2018.
Speaking with newsmen in a short interview on Wednesday, National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, also assured that the expected NEC meeting will be a fruitful one.
“I can tell you that the convention is not going to take place until the first quarter of next year. There will not be any implosion or explosion because we are not going to invite Boko Haram to the convention.
“Let me emphasis that we have not decided on the date of the convention because we have to hold NEC meeting that will agree on a date and agenda for the convention.”
But checks on the APC constitution states in Article 25 (A)(i) that “the National Convention of the Party shall be held once in Two (2) years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least fourteen (14) days notice given to members eligible to attend.”
Also, the constitution provides that “the National Executive Committee may summon an emergency National Convention at any time provided at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all members eligible to attend.”
Reacting to the media reports that about 17 APC governors were plotting the national chairman’s removal, Abdullahi said: “When you talk of 17 governors planing to impeach our National chairman, it is just a newspaper report people are reacting to. We have come out to dismiss such report telling Nigerians that we are not aware of the 17 governors referred to.
“We made it clear that there would not have been anything like that because they would have expressed such displeasure whether against the party or chairman in particular during the series of meetings we have had with them. I was opportune to attend all the meetings and there has never been anytime any of them stood up to say that they are not happy with him.
“We are preparing for the NEC meeting next week, October 31, preceded by caucus meeting and we are very confident of having fruitful meetings but let me emphasis that there is nothing like governors working against anybody.”
