APC to Remove Buni
The All Progressives Congress is planning to setup an interim national executive committee as it considers a complete overhauling of the party’s current leadership structure to avoid a legal trap.
The move formed part of decisions reached at a closed-door meeting attended by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and other stakeholders in Abuja over the weekend.
Our source say leaders of the party are considering the removal of the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the party, Mai Mala Buni and all governors, who form a part of the panel.
While Buni is the Governor of Yobe State, Sani Bello of Niger State, represents the North-Central, and Governor Isiaka Oyetola of Osun state represents the South-West in the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee.
The reconstitution of an interim panel immediately after the removal of the governors formed part of decision reached at the end of the meeting.
The APC is experiencing series of division among members cutting across various reasons.
Recall that Okosisi Ngwu, a member of the APC had approached the Abuja High Court on Tuesday, seeking the dissolution of the Buni-led committee.
Ngwu further sought for all actions taken by the committee to be nullified by the Court.
The judgment delivered by Supreme Court on the 2020 Ondo State governorship election further divided the party.
While the apex court declared APC’s Rotimi Akeredolu winner of the election, and also set A-side the appeal filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, the court also annulled the Buni’s chairmanship of the party.
The invalidation of Buni’s chairmanship by the Supreme Court saw the Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), calling for the suspension of the ward congresses the party held on Saturday.
However, contrary to the Minister’s advice, the APC went ahead to hold its ward congress on Saturday, not minding the warning that the process could be annulled in future because of the judgment.
In the judgment affirming the election of Akeredolu, the Supreme Court had reiterated the provisions of Section 183 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The section thus reads, “The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”
