By Derrick Bangura

After weeks of leadership tussling in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and the party’s National Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, appeared to have reclaimed power as Chairman and Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), respectively.

Recent developments in the party show that the duo has returned to their former positions, even as they praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for standing firm in the face of the crisis that nearly brought the party down, declaring that the APC was crisis-free.
This is as President Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to meet with Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, 48 hours after they were scheduled to meet with the president over the party’s leadership crisis.

In the same vein, the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Tuesday, assured members of APC that the national convention of the party would go on as planned, saying reconciliation and consensus were already taking place.

These, nonetheless, the party which commenced sales of nomination forms for various position on Monday, is slated to conclude the exercise on Friday, even as it has fixed the sum of N20 million as the amount for the purchase of nomination form for national chairman.

At the same time, efforts by the APC to set aside the order of Justice Bello Kawu, stopping the party’s March 26, National Convention, suffered a setback on Tuesday due to rightful legal representation of the party.

Buni had travelled out of the country to Dubai for medical reasons, when a faction of the APC governors moved against him.

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, assumed the leadership of the party in acting capacity when Buni was away.

However, while the crisis raged, there was confusion over the fate of Akpanudoedehe, after reports claimed he had resigned, but he insisted he remained the secretary of the party.

He also added that he remained the secretary until President Buhari decided otherwise.

“I have read in social media that I have resigned as Secretary of the APC. I want to state that it is not true, I didn’t resign. If I had resigned, you would have seen my letter of resignation written by me. Someone cannot just say somebody is dead, when he is alive,” Akpanudoedehe had said.

But, in a dramatic twist, Buni’s Personal Assistant, Mr. Muritala Yakubu, was given access to the national secretariat of the party for the first time in more than a week.

Though Buni was not back in country, a meeting of some governors billed to hold in London with Buhari appeared to have given Buni and others a glimmer of hope.

However, after Buni’s aides gained access to their offices, Akpanudoedehe also arrived at the national Secretariat of the party around 12:08 pm on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists briefly at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Akpanudoedehe said the ruling party was now crisis-free despite the events of the last few days.

He stated: “The CECPC of the APC under the Chairmanship of Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, makes this press release to clarify the events of last week and reassure the membership and stakeholders of the party as well as the Nigerian people in general, that the governing party is crisis-free, strong and remains united in giving the country the transformative leadership and good governance, which she promised them.”

Akpanudoedehe said the CECPC has always done its best to steer the affairs of the APC in line with the mandate invested in her at inauguration by the National Executive Council (NEC) of APC since it was inaugurated.

He explained that on 28th of February, 2022, Buni took a long-delayed trip abroad on health grounds, leaving behind written authorisation for other members of the CECPC to continue work in his absence, particularly the day to day management of the APC.

According to him, “In his absence, sundry activities earlier scheduled for action appeared to develop fresh urgency in order to satisfy the timetable for the 2023 general election released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus galvanising some within the CECPC to act in their best understanding of both the situation and the leadership dynamics in the Committee/Party.

“That all such actions were clearly identified at all times as happening in an acting or proxy capacity, and under the auspices of the substantive Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, contrary to widespread speculations that the Chairman, Secretary or some other officials of the CECPC have been removed from office or otherwise replaced.”

Akpanudoedehe said the caretaker Committee was intact and functional as originally constituted.

The secretary assured that delivering of a seamless National Convention of APC slated for March 26, 2022, was top priority for the caretaker committee.

He added: “We shall continue to execute such assignments as are legal pending the return of the Chairman who is on his way back to the country and shall resume office on arrival with the full support of all members and other stakeholders. We are grateful to INEC for her firm guidance in the entire circumstances.”

Akpanudoedehe revealed that the party has engaged a team of senior lawyers to address a purported court order halting the planned APC National Convention.

The ruling party called on the judiciary to give the matter the needed and expedient attention in a bid to vacate the purported Court order and allow for the conduct of a transparent and rancour-free National Convention.

Akpanudoedehe restated the absolute loyalty of the CECPC to the APC and the leadership of the party led by President Buhari.

He also reassured members and citizens that the ruling party was stronger than ever before and poised to extend her winning streak to 2023 and beyond.

48 Hours in London, Buhari Yet to See El-Rufai, Bello

Things appear not to be looking good for governors opposed to the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, continuing as Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with President Muhammadu Buhari refusing to meet with Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, who as representatives of the governors, were scheduled to meet with the president.

Since arriving London on Monday, both El-Rufai and Bello, who were said to be lodged at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, have yet to see the president, even though no appointment have been granted them.

The duo had left for London to see the president, who was in the British city on medical vacation, in view of the crisis plaguing the party, especially the chairmanship tussle.

While the issue of Buni’s removal has continued to cause a stir in the party and a leg to why the two governors were in London to see the president, the debate on the president’s preference for national chairman is another reason the governors needed to meet the president.

Convention: Reconciliation, Consensus Ongoing, Says Ganduje

Meanwhile, the Kano State Governor, Abdulahi Ganduje, has assured APC members that the national convention of the party would take place as planned, saying reconciliation and consensus were already taking place.

Ganduje, who chairs the Protocol Committee of the party said the party was preparing for the convention.

The Kano State governor, while fielding questions from journalists at the party secretariat in Abuja, said: “We are preparing for the convention.

“Apart from the selection of about 250 able young men and women, they are undergoing training after which they will proceed to the Eagle Square, the venue of the convention. I will be there myself together with other members of the committee and protocol sub-committee.”

Commenting on a court order that bars the party from holding the convention, Ganduje said he had no fears, expressing optimism that the convention would hold.

He said: “I have no fears; our convention will hold inshallah. Don’t worry we are equal to the task. We are the biggest party in Africa and we have the experience to handle it.

“We are organising the convention, reconciliation is taking place, consensus is taking place and we believe we will give you the best.”

Sale of Forms Ends Friday March 18

The APC has fixed the sum of N20 million for purchase of its nomination form for national chairmanship position of the party ahead of the convention.

The Director of Organisation, Prof. Al-Mustapha Medaner disclosed this in a statement Tuesday.

The sale of nomination forms, which started on Monday March 14, would close on Friday, March 18.

The party said the CECPC took the decision on the timetable/schedule of activities for the national convention at its 25th regular meeting held on March 14th.

According to the party, aspirants vying for the position of Deputy National Chairmanship would pay N10 million for nomination form, while other positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party would be sold at the cost of N5 million each.

The ruling party noted that female aspirants and physically challenged are to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each position.

However, as of Tuesday, the sale of forms for the various party positions was yet to commence.

Bid to Vacate Order Stopping Convention Suffers Setback

Efforts by the APC to set aside the order of Justice Bello Kawu stopping the party’s scheduled national convention suffered a setback due to rightful legal representation of the party.

An order had restrained the party from going ahead with the planned convention.

The said restraining order was issued on November 18, 2021, by Justice Bello Kawu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

By the order, APC was barred from proceeding with the convention on any date pending the hearing and determination of a suit against the conduct of the convention.

Following the discovery of this order and being determined to conduct its convention come March 26, the APC had swiftly moved to get the court to vacate the order by filing an application to that effect.

However, when the application was called yesterday at the FCT High Court sitting in Kubwa, there was a mild confusion as two lawyers claimed to be representing the APC and Buni, who are the first and second defendants in the suit respectively, while the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) is the third defendant.

Mr. Shuaibu Aruwa and Michael Adoyi, who claimed to be from the Chambers of Musa Yakubu, both announced appearance for both APC and Buni.

According to the senior lawyer, the first and second defendants had briefed him to take over the matter from Musa Yakubu.

But Adoyi, who held brief for Yakubu, countered the senior lawyer, stating that his principal has not been debriefed from the matter.

Responding, Aruwa told the court that they have a copy of the letter of instruction to represent the first and second defendants in the matter.

”After we were briefed, we filed a notice of change of counsel and we informed counsel in court of the changes and there was no complaint”, he added.

But Adoyi insisted that his chambers has not been debriefed, adding that the case file is still with him.

”We were not served with the hearing notice of this matter today and we did not receive any letter debriefing us. The case file is still with me.

“Mai Mala Buni told my principal that the brief is still extant. We are still in this matter representing the 1st and 2nd respondents”, he said.

Following the confusion over the rightful counsel to the first and second defendants, the court observed that the case cannot not go on as scheduled and subsequently announced a short adjournment to enable the APC put its house in order.

”Having heard from counsel, it appears there is disagreement over who the counsel representing the first and second respondents will be.

”I therefore, order the first and second respondents to write to the court who their counsel is. This matter is hereby adjourned to March 17, 2022.

Justice Kawu had on November 18,2021, while ruling in an exparte application, halted the APC convention to enable him reach a decision in the originating summons by Honourable Salisu Umoru challenge the planned convention.

In the case with suit number FCT/HC/CV/2958/2021 and motion number FCT/HC/M/9655/21, the plaintiff prayed the court for an Order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants and their agents from organising, holding or conducting the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress in January and February or at any other date either before or after pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

The judge after granting the order warned that the subject matter of the case is now subjudice and must nor be tampered with.

The claimant informed the court that the mere inauguration of sub-committees for the March 26 National Convention when the order of the honourable court is in force is a demonstration of disdain for the rule of law in the country.

INEC last week wrote to the APC, insisting that the commission does not recognise Abu Bello’s leadership, and also informed the APC that it has not performed one of the requisite requirements for a valid NEC meeting or National Convention.

In the letter signed by Rose Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, the attention of the APC was drawn to section 82(1) of the electoral act which provides, “Every registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of “merger” and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act”.

APC NEC Meeting Still Holds Thursday

In another development, the APC has insisted that it was going ahead with its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting slated for Thursday.

Spokesperson of the party and the National Youth Leader, Mr. Ismaeel Ahmed, stated this while briefing journalists at the end of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) held at the party secretariat Tuesday in Abuja.

The proposed emergency NEC appeared to have earlier hit the rock after INEC failed to recognise the leadership of the party led by Bello, who signed the notice of the meeting.

But the decision of the party to go ahead with the NEC meeting meant that Mai Mala Buni’s position as the Interim Caretaker Chairman would not be tampered with.

Although Akpanudoedehe was at the party secretariat yesterday where he declared that the ruling party was no longer in crisis, his decision not to attend the Caretaker committee meeting, which was presided over by a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, was an indication that all was still not well within the ruling party.

Regardless, Ahmed stated: “We just finished one of our regular committee meetings. As you are all aware, I told you last Friday that I would be interfacing with you for the next couple of days. I know that there is a couple of information that would go out in writing from the Office of the Director of Organisation. But I just wanted to make a couple of clarifications, because there were a lot of social media reports on the date and activities.

“The Caretaker committee has mandated me to say that the sale of forms has begun for all the offices both zonal and national. Like I said on Friday, the zonal congresses will now be moved to 26th of March on Saturday. So, there will be no separate zonal Congress apart from the national convention. All will happen on the same day.

“Of course, we expect stakeholders from every zone to meet and decide on those things. The prices for the zonal positions, I think that is where there is a bit of misinformation or typographical error.”

“The position of the national chairman has been agreed by the party to be sold at N20 million. The form for the position of the National Secretary is agreed to be sold at the price of N10 million. The forms for the position of Deputy National Chairman (North and South) will be sold at the same N10 million. All other NWC positions will be sold at N5 million.

“All other NEC positions, those are the deputy positions that are not members of NWC, the forms are going to be sold for N1 million. All positions at zonal level with the exception of the Zonal Vice Chairman, which is also a member of the NEC would be sold at N500, 000.”

He noted that women and physically challenged would be sold at 50 per cent of the prescribed fee, adding: “Convention is still 26th of March, we are working towards it and we are looking forward to it. We are going to be having our NEC meeting on Thursday, 17th of March.”

When reminded that the secretary of the party was at the secretariat earlier but left before the commencement of the meeting, he said he wasn’t aware that he came.

“Walahi, I don’t know. I’m not in control of his itinerary. He doesn’t speak to me before he comes to the office, he doesn’t speak to me when he’s leaving. I’m not even aware he was in the office. I personally thought he had traveled,” Ahmed said, stressing that Bello travelled but was back, and would be at the secretariat today.

He said the party was expecting between 3,000 and 4,000 delegates at the convention.