The 22 governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to meet today ahead of the March 26 national convention.

Their meeting, it was learnt yesterday, became imperative following the announcement of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that all parties can begin their presidential primaries from April 4, 2022, some were of the view that rather than hold the national convention on March 26, 2022, the convention and the primary could be held together.

Also, the ruling party has taken unprecedented steps by constituting 20 sub-committees, with 13 headed by serving governors. Of all the Committees, only seven is headed by non-governors with Mr Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, a strong and influential member of the party, being two of the ministers who made the cut.

Malami heads the Legal Committee, by virtue of being the Minister and Attorney General of the Federation. Mr Geoffery Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is the second minister who will head a committee as he chairs that of the Accreditation of Volunteers/Diplomats/Observers.

The composition of the Committees is a sharp deviation from the tradition of appointing free members of the party who will devote their time in discharging their jobs. One of such persons who was in the running for the post of the Media and Publicity Committee was former minister of aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, who’s standing trial for graft with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.

That Committee is now headed by the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The Committee that will surely be the centre of attention is the Election Committee, headed by Ogun State governor, Mr Dapo Abiodun. Abiodun is said to be his own man and is seen as the appropriate person to head the Committee that would decide the election of party executive.

The Abiodun Committee is tasked with crafting the rules guiding the election and managing the conduct of the convention as regards voting processes. Such is the importance of his committee that it’s feared an unfriendly manager of the Committee could work to scupper an ambition of anyone. The party however ensured the Central Planning Committee had the full complement of the 12-man CECPC, while the Secretariat Support Committee has a 7-man team.

A document released by the National Secretary, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, of the party, Mr John Akpanudoedehe, showed the Accreditation Committee has 41 members, while other committees are made up of 40 members each.
The Screening Committee is chaired by Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq of Kwara while Mr Emmanuel Emeka is its secretary.

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The Screening Appeal Committee is headed by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State while Mr Shuaibu Aruwa is its secretary. Governor Bello Masari of Katsina State will serve as Election Appeal Committee chairman.

The governor of Zamfara State, Mr Bello Matawalle, heads Accommodation Committee while Venue/Decoration/Site Servicing Committee has Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State as chairman. Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State heads Transport and Logistics Committee.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State heads the Security and Protocol Committee while the Accreditation Committee has Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as chairman. Entertainment and Welfare Committee has Deputy Speaker, Mr Ahmed Wase as chairman and the Medical Sub-committee is headed by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.

Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, chairs Budget Committee, while the Finance Committee is to be headed by Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State. Digital Committee has Mr Kashifu Inuwa as chairman and Convention Legacy and Rapporteur Committee has Borno State governor, Mr Babagana Zulum as chairman.