By David Lawani, Abuja
The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took a temporary twist yesterday after a letter by the acting National Chairman of the Caretaker Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Abubakar Bello, emerged.

The letter, which declared a vote of no confidence on the party’s National Secretary, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, also demanded Akpanudoedehe’s resignation.

But in a swift reaction, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Yekini Nabena, condemned the purported sacking of the national secretary of the party, saying only National Executive Committee (NEC) can exercise such power.

Another group under the aegis of Progressive Youth Movement (PYM) in APC also declared support for Akpanudoedehe.

A letter purportedly signed by Bello, a former Senate President, Mr Ken Nnamani, and other seven members of the CECPC that passed the vote of no confidence on the national secretary emerged yesterday morning revealing that 10 members signed the letter sacking Akpanudoedehe.

But responding to the purported sacking while speaking with newsmen at the APC national secretariat, Nabena said such sacking could stand anywhere.

The APC chieftain said those who signed the said sack letter “have no power to remove the Secretary.

“What they need is two-thirds of NEC – NEC members and not appointed members. The governors are elected, so they are members of NEC, the President is a member of NEC. So, whatsoever Stella Okotete and co were doing amounted to nullity because they don’t have the power, they have failed to read their party constitution.”

When reminded that Nnamani was a former Senate President, Nabena said, “Ken Nnamani still has the PDP virus in him, that is why he jumped in back and front that is the problem with Nnamani. And age is also catching up with him, so, I do not blame him. They promised to give him deputy chairman that is why he has lost his integrity.

“As I said, the caretaker committee members lack the power. In short, they are seen as borrowed members of NEC in the first place, some of them, except the governors among them, are not authentic members of NEC. So, it is an exercise in futility.”

Also, PYM’s national coordinator, Prince Mustapha Audu, said the purported sacking of the secretary was a nullity, adding that the party currently needed unity and not such a crisis ahead of the national convention.

Audu called on all and sundry in the party to give Governor Mai Mala Buni led CECPC support to deliver a free and fair national convention.

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•Buni returns after medical trip abroad
Meanwhile, members, CECPC has visited Governor Mai Mala Buni who returned from an overseas medical trip.

Addressing journalists at the Yobe Government lodge in Abuja, Buni applauded the CECPC members on the level of preparations towards the National Convention.

According to him, “You know that since I travelled, the Party has not stopped. His Excellency (Governor of Niger State, H.E. Abubakar Sani Bello) has done very well in managing the affairs of the Party.

“We are here to discuss the issues going forward. We are now at the finishing line in the preparations for our National Convention which is at hand on March 26. We are putting heads together to achieve this task ahead. I want to emphasise that the March 26 National Convention is sacrosanct.”

Buni clarified that the visit was not a formal meeting of the CECPC, saying. “You know that this is not a formal meeting of the committee. These members of the CECPC just came to welcome me back to the country and wish me well after returning from a medical trip outside the country.”

Also peaking, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, “For the past one week, I have been acting as the Chairman of the CECPC and what I can tell you is that we made lots of progress towards our national convention like we saw in the inauguration of the State Chairmen, adoption of some of the zoning formula, and some of the decisions of the CECPC taken before he (Governor Buni) left the country.

“I can tell you for free that in the last one week, we have ensured that we are good to go for the national convention.”

•Fani-Kayode, others in news APC convention planning c’ttee
Meanwhile, the APC has released a new list of its convention planning committee members.

The list was signed by the National Secretary of the CECPC, James Akpanudoedehe.

On the list endorsed by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led committee were former aviation minister, Femi Fani Kayode, and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.

It would be recalled that when Niger State Governor Sani Bello took over the caretaker committee, Fani-Kayode and Abiodun’s names were removed and replaced.

However, Since President Buhari reinstated Buni, both men have been returned to their positions.

A release yesterday said, “As directed by the leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the March 26th date for the 2022 APC National Convention is sacrosanct.

“We reiterate the call by President Buhari to all party supporters, members, and leaders, to work in unison to ensure a smooth transition to the National Convention.”

Other members include Central Co-ordinating- Mai Mala Buni (Chairman), James Akpanudoedehe (Secretary); Secretariat- Abdullahi Yusuf Gashu’a (Chairman) and Dare Oketade (Secretary); Screening- Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman (Chairman), Senator Andy Ubah (Deputy Chairman) and Shuaibu Aruwa (Secretary), among others.

According to the release, the approved sub-committees are to begin work immediately.