The Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Wednesday denied what it described as ‘fake news’ in some quarters that the party had suspended process of its national convention till June 2022.
The national leadership declared that its immediate task for now was to address and resolve contestations within the party, litigations, fallouts of recently conducted congresses and generally reposition the party ahead of the national convention.
The Mai Mala Buni-led committee announced this in a statement by its national secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe in Abuja.
While some members were asking for the national convention in February, others believed that reconciliation of all the crisis across all the chapters of the party should be considered first.
But the party said the dates for party activities such as meetings, primaries, congresses, national conventions were communicated through well-known official channels and not through ‘sources’.
The statement said: “The party notes and appreciates the continued support of well-meaning members and leaders as the APC Caretaker Committee undertakes the immediate task of addressing contestations within the Party, litigations, fallouts of recently-conducted Congresses and generally reposition the Party ahead of the National Convention.
“The general public is advised to completely disregard fake news on the reported suspension of the planned National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) till June, as reported by some media outlets.
“The faceless authors and sponsors of fake news on APC activities, in this case the planned National Convention are simply bent on causing confusion and fomenting crisis through misinformation. We should not enable them.
“As a focus-driven, process-oriented political party, the APC Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni will not be distracted by self-serving antics of these sponsors of fake news.
“The APC Caretaker Committee is already embarking on nationwide consultations with Party stakeholders to prepare the ground for a rancour-free National Convention. To this end, the sub-committee on budgeting and other substructures will be set up in due course.”
Ekiti aspirants
Meanwhile, two aspirants on the APC platform in the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti state have warned the party leadership not to compromise free and fair process.
The aspirants spoke in separate interviews with journalists shortly after submitting their nomination forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja Wednesday.
Making his position known, one of the aspirants, Otunba Demola Popoola, said he would be comfortable with any mode the party decides to use, but warned against any form of manipulation.
When asked about his preferred mode of primary, Popoola said: “The party has not communicated it to us which mode of primaries it will be using for the election. Whether direct or indirect, I am ready.
“By the grace of God, I am the leading contestant in Ekiti state. You can go and confirm it. So we are not afraid of anything. All I am saying is the party should please allow free and fair elections protect our votes. They should not allow the thugs to come and hijack our votes. My people are ready to go out and vote their minds; they are not ready to sell their conscience. That is the true.”
On whether he was considering stepping down for an ‘anointed’ aspirant, Popoola said: “Governor Kayode has not called me once to say Demola step down.
“Never! He never! All he tells me is, ‘all I want is who will win the election for APC in Ekiti. I am not going to stop anybody.’ So, the story of anointed, he has refuted. So, let us take it that way. So I am not anybody’s anointed and I will not step down for anybody. Not for $200 billion.”
Also speaking, another governorship aspirant, Arole Oba Oluwatoyin Afolabi, said he had developed a document based on his experiences in the United States of America (USA) to move Ekiti state forward if given an opportunity.
Afolabi who described himself as new in politics, said he was in the race to make a difference.
He also tasked the APC leadership to ensure emergence of a popular candidate like him, saying he enjoyed “massive support of both old and young in Ekiti state.”
