Connect with us

Politics

ICYMI: Bello-led APC CECPC makes volte-face, defers to Buni’s chairmanship

Published

on

Sani Bello

Events keep unfolding within the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the limbo of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) chairmanship position.

The confusion over the position was due to the alleged usurpation by Governor Sani Bello of Niger State who had written a letter on Wednesday to the Independent National Electoral Commission, inviting it to the emergency National Executive Council meeting of the party.

However, the INEC rejected the invitation to the emergency meeting, stating that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC, runs contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2014).

Consequently, the CECPC at a press conference on Friday at the Buhari House National Secretariat of the party in Abuja clarified the situation.

According to its spokesman, Ismaeel Ahmed, the position of Governor Mai Mala Buni remains sacrosanct since Governor Bello only acts as the Chairman in his absence.

“Somebody asked, what is the position of Governor Mai Mala Buni in the party, I think it’s pretty simple. I don’t know why this is a complicated process for a lot of people not to understand. Since the inception of this CECPC on June 25, 2020, whenever the chairman is not around and Governor Sani Bello is around, he acts on behalf of all as the Chairman.

READ ALSO: Matawalle warns APC govs amid leadership crisis

“It has always been the case that has never changed. It has always been the case. Now, we have a Convention on March 26. The chairman wrote a letter and transmitted power to Governor Bello to enable him go for medical treatment. Those are two emergencies. He has a medical emergency, that cannot wait for Convention. We have a Convention that cannot wait for him to be healthy.

“So, one has to leave for the other, whichever, he has transmitted a letter and Governor Sani Bello has been acting appropriately. Why is it so difficult for people to understand that? Why is it so difficult for people to simply understand? I cannot understand why people are making this allegation.

“So, Governor Sani Bello is acting the full authority of the Caretaker Committee and with the full authority of the stakeholders and with the full consent of Governor Mai Mala Buni. It is very clear and simple. If anybody has issues with any of our decisions, he can head to court. For now, we are doing it with the full backing of the law. So, there is no ambiguity on this, absolutely none,” the statement read.

Ahmed further spoke on the position of the CECPC secretary, Senator John James Akpanudodehe.

He said, “I didn’t say anything about other people as well, we just talked about members of the committee. I didn’t talk about their positions, whether secretary or chairman, since they have their responsibilities spelt out for them.

“The other members are the ones told to come back to handle specific departments and that is what we are doing. At the full course of time, once all these are over, I will be able to brief you. But for now, these are the responsibilities of every member.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now