APC’s Crisis Worsens As INEC Rejects Notice Of Party’s NEC Meeting

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a fresh turn after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) denied the party’s National Executive Committee’s request for an emergency meeting (NEC).

In a letter dated March 9, 2022, and written to the party’s ‘national chairperson,’ INEC secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony affirmed the commission’s decision.

“The commission wishes to bring your attention to the fact that the meeting notice was not signed by the CECPC’s National Chairman and National Secretary, in violation of Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018),” Oriaran-Anthony said.

The letter was written in response to a request made by the party in an earlier letter dated March 8, 2022 and marked APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/022/32.

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The letter was apparently written by Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, who just assumed leadership of the party.

He had asked the commission to attend an emergency meeting of the APC National Executive Committee ahead of the party’s upcoming national convention.

However, INEC rejected the invitation, stating that the letter should have been signed by the national chairman and secretary of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

According to the Electoral Act, every convention, congress, conference, or meeting for such purposes must be provided at least 21 days’ notice to the electoral umpire.

“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires “at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of’merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies, or nominating candidates for any elective offices,” according to Oriaran-Anthony.

“Please accept the assurance of the commissions’ kind greetings while hope that these issues be recognized for compliance.”

Three weeks before the CECPC’s national convention on March 26, rumours surfaced that Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State had been fired as the party’s head.

In the wake of the reports, Governor Bello presided over a CECPC meeting on Monday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

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He told reporters at the end of the meeting that he has taken over as the party’s interim chairman, claiming that he has the support of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders.