The All Progressives Congress (APC) is now set to hold the all-important meeting in November.
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the party had continued to draw flaks from some party chieftains following its inability to hold the convention in April, but party leaders had attributed the delay to the health challenge of President Muhammadu Buhari, a situation that saw him out of the country for long.
Asked when exactly the party would hold its convention, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in an interview, said that while plans have been concluded to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee NEC and that of the Caucus in October, the APC would hold its non-elective convention the following month.
“We hope in November. There is no tentative date yet, but we are certain. The NEC and Caucus will hold next month, that is, October”, said Chief Odigie-Oyegun.
Article 25 (A)(i) of the current APC constitution stipulates 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 and at least fourteen (14) days notice given to members eligible to attend.
The Convention is used to ratify policies and programmes of the Party; Elect or remove the national officers of the Party; Elect the Presidential Candidate of the Party; Amend the Constitution of the Party from time to time as the need may arise among other issues.
Since the last convention of the party in October 2014, it has been difficult holding another convention.
The party’s effort to hold the convention in April and later in August were futile especially as a result of the ill-health of President Buhari and the actions of some political strategists who did not want the then acting President Yemi Osinbajo to chair the all important meetings of NEC, the Caucus and the national convention in the absence of the president as critical decisions that could subtly affect the president’s chances of re-election could be taken at such meetings. – Vanguard.
