By Olusegun Olanrewaju, David Lawani and Paul Onwude
Criticisms have trailed the last-minute decision of the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to shift the date for its national convention from February 26 to March 26.

The Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had after its meeting late Monday resolved that the commencement of convention activities will now be February 24, while the convention holds on March 26.

Secretary of the Convention Extraordinary Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator James Akpanudoedehe, stated this while addressing journalists yesterday.

The party scribe explained that the zonal congress of the party will commence on February 24. He said, “After deliberation and agreement with the CECPC, we have agreed and approved that the activities of the national convention will commence from March 12 and terminate on March 26 at the Eagles Square in Abuja. “In between the convention, we have agreed to have zonal congresses on March 12,” he noted.

Recall that the party had earlier planned to hold the national convention on February 26 despite the plethora of crisis confronting it. The reasons for the postponement were unclear as efforts made to get the secretary to react were some salient issues were rebuffed by him.

The party has, however, notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its intention to hold its zonal congresses on March 26.

“In accordance with Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, all political parties in the country are mandated to give the commission at least a 21-day notice before holding a convention. “In furtherance to Article 5 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and compliance with Section 12:6 of our party constitution, we hereby write to notify the commission of our great party, the All Progressives Congress has scheduled to hold its zonal congresses on Saturday, March 26, 2022.

“Kindly arrange for your officials to monitor the exercise accordingly. While hoping to receive your cooperation, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem,” the statement added.

Akpankudohede added, “Monday, February 28, Publication of National Convention Sub-Committees. From Wednesday, March 9 to Friday, March 11, Sales of Forms.

“From Tuesday March 15 to Thursday March 17, screening of aspirants, Saturday, March 19, Screening Appeal. Monday, March 21, adoption of Appeal Report. “From Thursday, March 24 to Friday, March 25, accreditation. Saturday, March 26, Convention. Tuesday, March 29 Convention Appeal. Wednesday, March 30, Adoption of Appeal Report. “Thursday, March 31, Inauguration.”

Akpankudohede said the schedule activities was in pursuant to Article 12.6 of the APC Constitution.

• Shehu Sani mocks ruling party
In an immediate reaction, a former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, took to social media to mock the ruling party over the postponement of the convention.

Sani, on his Twitter page yesterday wrote, “The ruling party’s convention is like the horizon; the closer you come to it, the farther it moves.”

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• Ex-PGF DG, Lukman blames Buni
Meanwhile, former Director-General (DG) of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, has alleged that the chairman of APC caretaker committee, Mai Mala Buni, “does not want the party’s convention to hold”.

An online medium, TheCable, had earlier reported that Buni might not relinquish control of the party anytime soon. In a statement issued yesterday, Lukman said with only a few days to the exercise, the convention’s sub-committees had not been put in place.

Lukman had alleged that the Yobe State governor, who heads the CEPCC team, was working with some governors and “Yahoo-Yahoo politicians” to prevent the convention from holding as scheduled.

“There is so much uncertainty created, just to ensure that the party is manipulated to meet the aspirations of these dishonest leaders. “Sales of forms to aspiring candidates for party offices to be contested at the national convention was to commence on Monday, February 14, 2014,” the statement reads.

“The speculation was that forms cannot be sold until zoning of offices is finalised. “Following the departure of President Muhammadu Buhari to the EU-AU Summit in Brussels, the argument became that zoning will only be finalised after his return.

“Then it became that there was disagreement among governors on zoning. The latest is that some governors are opposed to some offices of the party coming to their zones because of their presidential or vice-presidential ambitions.

“As things are, today being February 21, 2022, the National Convention is just five days away. Sub-committees to handle specific responsibilities of organising the Convention were expected to have been announced on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

“No information has been provided by the CECPC. Now that President Buhari has returned from the EU-AU Summit, the old deceptive argument about Governors having meetings with President Buhari to decide on zoning and other matters related to the convention has started again.

“It is clear that Mai Mala Buni is opposed to organising the APC National Convention on February 26, 2022, or any time soon. Consequently, he is working with other dishonest leaders, notably, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodun, and a few others.

“It is a mutiny against the authority of the party and all its designated leaders, especially President Buhari, being carried by very dishonest people who can best be described as Yahoo Yahoo politicians.”

In response, Mamman Mohammed, an aide of Buni, said: “Salihu cannot love APC more than the president, my principal, and the progressive governors who are painstakingly working for the party.”