President Muhammadu Buhari has intervened in the leadership crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, directing members to support the Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, to conduct the March 26 National Convention.
This was contained in a letter personally signed by him, and addressed to Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State who is also the Chairman of the APC’s Progressive Governors Forum, PGF.
Buhari bemoaned the multiplicity of cases currently rocking the party, saying it has the prospect of invalidating the activities and actions of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The letter which was also copied to the Chairman of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECPC), the Acting Chairman of the CECPC, Governor Sani Bello, the Director-General of the DSS as well as the Inspector-General of Police, the President, suggests that the intervention came since the party could not change the leadership of the CECPC without infringing on the time limit set by INEC, and the fact that the current uncertainties and controversies “pose a real threat to the party.”
President Buhari, therefore, directed that:
– “The issue of the leadership of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECC) should immediately return to status quo ante;
– “All members of the Governors Forum and their followers should desist from any behaviour or utterance that will likely lead to disunity in the ranks of the party, and ultimately jeorpadise the transition to the convention;
– “The Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee should accordingly be allowed to proceed with all necessary preparations to hold the convention as planned- unfailingly on 26th March, 2022.”
Details later…