Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have dismissed the views of some party members that the National Convention of the party cannot hold without all the states and all the delegates in attendance.
The stakeholders that spoke differently to news men cited article 25 (iii) of the party that states that the party needs.
There have been agitations in some quarters that the National Convention slated for February should be postponed because the congresses of the party have not been completed in all the states.
The proponents of this argument have said it would be illegal for the party to hold its convention without all the states in attendance for one reason or the other. States like Anambra and Zamfara are yet to conduct their congresses, while states like Lagos, Ogun, Abia, Rivers, Delta, Kano, Bauchi, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and more are said to have factional executives.
It is on these bases that some party members are canvassing for the postponement of the Convention pending when the party would reconcile aggrieved members. However, Article 25 (A) (I) of the APC constitution states:
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(NEC) 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. ii.
Without prejudice to Article 25 (A)(i) of this Constitution, the National Executive Committee may summon an emergency National Convention at any time provided at least seven (7) days’ notice of the meeting shall be given to all members eligible to attend. iii.
The quorum for the meetings of the National Convention shall be one third of its membership. iv.
The provision regulating the meetings of the National Convention shall apply mutatis mutandis to State Congresses, Local Government Area/ Area Council Congresses and Ward Congresses. Kabir Musa, a Chieftain of APC from Kano State said, with the above provisions of the constitution of the party, the party can go ahead and hold its convention.
The position of Musa and other stakeholders are coming on the heels of some party members dragging the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to court over the Convention.
According to them, they are asking the court to stop the conduct of the Convention until congresses are conducted in all the states. The applicants of the suit, Suleiman Usman, Muhammed Shehu, Samaila Isahaka, Idris Isah, and Audu Emmanuel, joined as defendants in the suit APC, Chairman of APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Specifically, the applicants are praying the court for an order stopping the convention on the ground that party congresses are yet to be completed in all the 36 states of the federation.
The plaintiffs among other reliefs are seeking an order restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants from organizing and conducting the national convention of the 1st defendant unless state congresses of the 1st defendant are first concluded in all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“An order directing the 1st and 2nd defendant to first conduct State congresses of the 1st defendant in Anambra State and Zamfara State before the national convention of the 1st defendant can be scheduled and conducted.”
