By Adesuwa Tsan
365Daily – Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the reviewed timelines proposed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Ward Congresses will now hold 24th July, 2021, followed by Local Government Congresses on 14th August, 2021 and State Congresses on 18th September, 2021.
The National Secretary of CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, June 25, 2021.
The statement added that the President granted the approval after detailed consideration of CECPC’s progress report, the schedule of outstanding activities with regards to Congresses, the National Convention and the forthcoming Anambra Governorship election.
It read in part: ”The President also approved the timetable for APC Ward, Local Government and State Congresses. Ward Congresses will hold 24th July, 2021 followed by Local Government Congresses on 14th August, 2021 and State Congresses on 18th September, 2021.
”The CECPC National Chairman and Governor of Yobe State, H.E. Mai Mala Buni on Friday presented a summary of the Committees progress report to the President at the State House, Abuja.
”It could be recalled that at its last meeting the National Executive Committee (NEC) conferred on the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) the power of the National Convention which is in line with powers provided in Article 13.3 of the Party’s Constitution.
”The National Chairman had the President’s approval to review the timeline available to the CECPC.
”The Chairman was accompanied by other CECPC members, including H.E. Governor Isiaka Oyetola, H.E. Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Sen. Abubakar Yusuf, Hon. Akinyemi Olaide, Mrs. Stella Oketete, Dr. James Lulu, Chief David Lyon, Abba Ali, Prof. Tahir Mamman, Barr. Ismail Ahmed and the CECPC National Secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe.”
The CECPC National Secretary stated that the tenure of the caretaker committees at each level from Ward, Local Government, State and National will end immediately elections are held at their respective levels and its officers immediately take oath of office, terminating with the National Convention.
According to Akpanudoedehe, the CECPC National Chairman, Governor Buni, expressed the profound gratitude of members of the Committee to the President and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for the trust, confidence and the opportunity given to them to serve the party.
He said Buni informed the President that the CECPC has during the period under review, led the party to contest in several elections and by-elections with overall success rate of 95 per cent.
The statement continued: ”On the peace and reconciliation efforts, the CECPC National Chairman informed the President that the committee commenced its assignment on a a desire to foster genuine reconciliation on solid foundation, by giving all issues and every aggrieved member fair hearing and objectively placing party interests above individual interests.
”Buoyed by the CECPC transparent and objective approach to the problems that bedevilled the party and the renewed confidence and trust in the Party, aggrieved individuals and groups who either left or sued the party in various courts, willingly accepted reconciliation and withdrew all litigations against the party.
”Your Excellency, with your excellent leadership roles for the party, we are witnessing high-powered defections including serving governors from the PDP to our great party. It is also interesting that the fortune of the party in the last year has greatly improved across the country, and especially in the South-East, which has been the stronghold of the opposition.”
“I am pleased to state that the party is now more peaceful, more accommodating, and more united with greater prospects than when we came on board,” he said.