By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has affirmed that ward congresses to elect party executives across the country will hold on Saturday, July 31, 2021, as scheduled.
This clarification is coming on the heels of a warning issued by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, who said the recent Supreme Court judgement on Osun gubernatorial election is a warning that the composition of the APC’s current leadership may lead to a loss for the party.
He argued that the Chairman of the Caretaker committee of the APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, has been constitutionally barred from taking up any other responsibility than that for which he was elected.
Therefore, he continued, anyone who elderly aggrieved by the outcome of the congresses could contest them in court, thereby leading to a potential loss for the party.
However, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) dismissed the cry as a personal opinion, saying all ward congress committees have already been inaugurated and delegated with the responsibility of conducting, supervising, monitoring the scheduled event.
Secretary of the CECPC, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, said in a statement issued on Thursday, July 29, 2021, that the Osun judgement has no bearing on the status of the party’s leadership.
He stated: “While it is not our intention to join issues with these comentators, the Supreme Court’s Wednesday judgement affirming the Election victory of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu,SAN, had no bearing on the CECPC’s status and its membership.
“Party members and aspirants should therefore come out enmasse and peacefully to participate in the ward Congresses, come Saturday.”