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A fresh crisis is brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pressure group, the Concerned APC Members, has vowed to embark on a nationwide protest on Monday, if the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CENCPC) failed to roll out timetable for the December National Convention of the party.
The group had on the 12th of October at a press conference in Abuja given the Caretaker Committee 14 days ultimatum to announce timetable for the conduct of the National Convention in line with the directive of the 25th June emergency National Executive Committee meeting.
But the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, dismissed the threat of the group accusing it of being insincere despite efforts by the party leadership to listen to their complaints.
In an interview in Abuja on Friday, the leader of the group, Alhaji Abdullahi Dauda, said that the group had to extend the ultimatum by one week following a word of assurance by the party’s National Deputy Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena that the timetable had since been ready.
It will be recalled that the 25th June emergency NEC meeting inaugurated by the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee with a mandate to reconcile all aggrieved members and conduct a national convention for the emergence of a new National Working Committee (NEC) to replace the dissolved Adams Oshiomole led committee.
Four months into the tenure of the Caretaker Committee, the Concerned APC group accused the CENCPC of scheming for tenure elongation following its refusal to announce a timetable for the conduct of the national convention.
The group then imposed a 14-day ultimatum on the party leadership on 12th October which lapsed on Monday, the 26th of October.
According to Dauda, a chieftain of the party from Bauchi State, “it is true we gave 14 days ultimatum and at its expiration, the leadership of the party through the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in a newspaper report (The Nation) on the 27th October apologised and said that the timetable for the conduct of the National Convention was ready.
“As loyal party members, based on the words of the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, we agreed to give the party leadership one week to enable us study the timetable. We gave this extension because we have confidence in the integrity of the party leadership.
Nabena, denied the claim that he said the timetable was ready, insisting that he never had such discussion with anybody.
“This group is not sincere. I never told anybody of anytime table. All I said was that any aggrieved member should come forward with their grievances. The Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee in keeping with its mandate is prepared to attend to any aggrieved members.”“The 4-day workshop attracted representatives of the Government of Chad, European Union, African Union and Ambassadors of MNJTF Troop Contributing Countries; Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria. Other participants included representatives from Centre for Coordination and Liaison and Civil Society Organizations,” he said.
