Extension of Buni c'ttee tenure tops agenda as APC NEC meets today

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today have an emergency virtual session to consider the extension of the timeline given to the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

This is as the initial timeline of six months allotted to it on June 25, 2020 would elapse in the next 17 days.

Top party sources told Daily Trust that the caretaker committee had briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on its milestones and requested more time to enable it to accomplish its assignment which climax is to organise a national convention.

Party leaders who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that governors, state chairmen, former governors, Non-NWC NEC members and other stakeholders in the party had been briefed on the planned timeline extension for the committee.

The Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC was dissolved by NEC on June 25, 2020 and the NEC inaugurated the Buni-led committee to take charge of the day-to-day running of the party and to organise a national convention within six months.

Credible sources hinted to our correspondent that the NEC would also deliberate on pending litigations, ratify the new membership registration and revalidation exercise, as well as iron out issues surrounding the national convention to nip in the assuage crises rocking some state chapters of the party.

'I won't return as chair'

Meanwhile, the ousted National Chairman of the ruling APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that he will decline to return to the seat if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) which he led.

Oshiomhole, in a statement yesterday titled 'My Position Has Not Changed', dismissed the insinuation that he was behind the ongoing court cases seeking to upturn the June 25 NEC decision on his dissolved leadership.

He said: "In reporting the legal action taken by a member of the dissolved NWC of the APC, some attributions have been made to the effect that the plaintiff is an 'ally of Oshiomhole' or an 'associate of Oshiomhole.' This is despite the fact that the court documents are clear on who the plaintiff really is.

"...Since I could only accept responsibility for my own decision, I instructed my lawyers to withdraw the suits challenging my purported suspension from office by the proxies of those bent on removing me as chairman.

"It is, therefore, the height of mischief to insinuate, as it is being done in some quarters, that I would publicly accept the decision and later surreptitiously seek to contest it in court. That chapter of my political life is closed.

"Even if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution, I will, with utmost humility, decline to return as APC National Chairman," he said.

Oshiomhole, who appreciated the presidential support and encouragement which he said enabled him to assert the authority of the party without fear or favour, said he would not have lasted as long as he did as national chairman but for the President's support.

He promised to continue to support the Buhari administration to succeed in serving the common good of the people of Nigeria.

"Above all, I bear no grudge against any one for the manner of my removal. Instead, I am grateful and loyal to President Buhari who in the first place encouraged me to contest the chairmanship of the party," he added.