The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caretaker/Extraordinary Committee has submitted a proposal to President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking approval to conduct the party’s congresses and convention.
The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), a forum of governors elected on the platform of the party, confirmed this yesterday, saying the committee has submitted the proposal to the president.
Rising from a meeting of the 22 APC governors in Abuja on Wednesday night, the Chairman of the forum and the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Atiku Bagudu, said once the president approved the proposal, the committee would announce the date.
Buhari, in an interview with ARISE NEWS Channel, aired last Thursday, had said that he gave the party’s caretaker committee up till the end of June to submit its report on the convention.
“We should allow the party to decide (on his successor), I have just told you that we have started from bottom-up and I gave the acting chairman the end of June to submit a report on the convention we are going to conduct and then arrange the general election, all elections till 2023. We have started this from the bottom up so that members of the party will feel they are involved in decision making,” Buhari had said.
The meeting of the APC governors’ forum was attended by 22 of its members, while the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, represented Governor Ben Ayade.
Bagudu said the governors started the meeting by commending the committee it assigned to oversee talks on the autonomy for the legislature and judiciary.
He stated that the governors considered the timetable for the congresses and convention of the party and also made recommendations, particularly on the need to comply with the electoral law and the party’s constitution.
Bagudu said: “Remember we (PGF) are just one organ of the party, though a very important organ, but we advised the caretaker committee to ensure that they consult with all. So that at the end of the day, the final output will be such that all party members will be happy.
“The PGF met this evening and reviewed a number of issues relating to the assignments given to committee members, which participated in party affairs, national security, and economy.
“There is a proposal before Mr. President and once he approves it, the National Caretaker Committee will announce the date.”
He added that the governors commended the leadership of the party on the achievements recorded and recent defections of high-profile politicians to the party.
He stated that in the last few months, former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel; the Governor of Ebonyi, Chief Dave Umahi, and Ayade, among others, have joined the ruling party.
Bagudu said this was a testament to the fact that APC had become Nigeria’s preferred party.
According to him, the forum also acknowledged the constraints of the economy and the successes that have been achieved.
