In letter to governors, Buhari asks Buni to supervise APC convention

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker and Extraordinary Planning Committee headed by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, be allowed to proceed with the preparations for the party’s national convention slated for March 26.

In a letter dated March 16, 2022 and addressed to the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, the President also ordered that the caretaker committee should continue to control the party’s affairs.

Buni, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, were also copied in the letter.

Buhari charged the governors to desist from making utterances or exhibiting conducts that would jeopardise the party’s unity or successful conduct of the convention.

The letter read: “It has come to my attention that, because of recent events, the APC is faced with a multiplicity of court cases pending against it in various courts across the country. As a result of this, the party faces the possibility and prospect of the invalidation of all its activities and actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The party has demonstrated its inability to proceed with the issue of effecting change in the leadership of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECC), in a way that is inclusive, legal and respectful of the time limit set and required for giving the INEC Sufficient notice of the time and venue for holding its convention.

“No doubt, these controversies and uncertainties, as enumerated above, pose a real threat to the party; and may lead to a possible nonrecognition of its activities, elections and the probable invalidation of all its other actions by INEC. This may ultimately even lead [to] its implosion and non-existence.

“First, the issue of the leadership of the Caretaker Extra Ordinary Convention Committee (CECC) should immediately return to status quo ante.

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“Second, all members of the governors’ forum and their followers should desist from any behaviour or utterance that will likely lead to disunity in the ranks of the party, and ultimately jeopardise the transition to the convention.

“Third, the Mai Mala Buni-led CECC should, accordingly, be allowed to proceed with all necessary preparations to hold the convention as planned-unfailingly, on 26th March, 2022.”

Reports emerged last week that President Buhari had approved the removal of Buni as acting chairman of APC over alleged attempts to scuttle the convention.

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who featured in a programme on Channels Television on March 9, claimed that the Yobe governor and his supporters plotted to scuttle the preparations for the convention with frivolous court injunctions.

The governor’s assertion was corroborated by his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, who accused Buni of working with a few of their colleagues to circumvent the collective will of the majority of APC members.

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