Buhari, Governors, N’Assembly leadership to determine APC convention date

Tom Okpe, Abuja

National Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed their plans for the expected national convention, stating that its leaders will determine the date.

Acting National Secretary of the party, James Akpanudoedehe told newsmen at the party national secretariat in Abuja on Monday after rising from an emergency meeting of the CECPC that President Muhammadu Buhari, Governors, National Assembly Leaders and other party stakeholders will determine if the party Convention will hold in June, or agree on a more convinient date.

The Secretary however noted that the June date is still visible stating that the emergency meeting of the Committee majorly, was to ratify the APC, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Area Council Primary election adding that if the party will disqualify any candidate, the Caretaker Committee must see clearly why it should be so and, “we are mindful of the deadline from INEC.”

He said: “We are aware that party members are desiring to hear from the Caretaker Committee on the National Convention, I can tell you that we are looking into so many things and I can tell you that we have to consult extensively before we do anything.

“I want to assure that there will be no crisis in our party in June. Convention can be done in June and congresses can start end in June but, it all depends on what the leaders of this party agrees upon.

“We have major stakeholders like Mr President, Vice President, Governors among others. We have to consult so that when we are coming out there will be no dissenting voice. We are still at the level of consensus.

“We have lots of problems in the country, not only the national Congress of the party. We have serious security issues like the agitations going on in the zones.

“We are very conscious of Nigeria as a country not only the Congresses. We are mindful that our party must be strong. We just welcome the Governor of Cross River State and assuming it is Congress, how would we have accommodated him.

Be rest assured that the overall interest is paramount to us. We have taken lots of things into consideration to ensure that the party is peaceful and united.”

On the party registration, Akpanudoedehe buttressed that; “I can inform you authoritatively that registration has ended and we are collating our results from the committee and over 21 states have submitted. Some of them are trying to tidy up the report before submitting to the committee.”

He reiterated the honesty of the Committee saying; “we have never lied to Nigerians. We can always fight and resolve at family level,” he noted.