APC crisis: Forum advises Caretaker Committee against tenure elongation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Concerned Members Forum has advised Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party against tenure elongation and also stop its proposed membership registration.

The forum gave the advice at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

Spokesperson of the Forum Mr Ogenyi Okpokwu, who was an APC 2019 gubernatorial aspirant for Benue, said that rather than embark on a fresh membership registration, the committee should begin the process of convening a national convention for the party.

He urged the Buni-led committee to stick to its terms of reference of reconciling aggrieved party members and to conduct a national convention to usher in a new NWC for the party within its six month tenure.

He noted that the image and goodwill of the party could be hampered if the committee does anything contrary to satisfy the interest of a few.

“As concerned APC members, we will not sit back and allow this to happen to our beloved party,’’ he said.

Okpokwu said the party`s incoming National Working Committee (NWC) should handle the updating of new register if necessary.

He advised that all permanent party membership cards printed and submitted to the party’s national secretariat by its data center for onward distribution to members in the wards, Local Government Areas and States should be distributed immediately.

“In case they cannot find them, they should request for them at our data center, the incoming NWC should handle the updating of new register if we so need to update one,’’ Okpokwu said.

He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the committee to order in the interest of the party and its committed members.

It would be recalled that the APC caretaker and extraordinary convention planning committee was inaugurated on June 25 to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

The committee which has six months life span is also expected to plan a national convention for the election of members of the party’s NWC.

Meanwhile, the Buni-led Committee on Thursday took delivery of the first consignment of the party’s membership registration materials.

Buni while receiving the materials, said the date for the commencement of the exercise across the party`s 119,973 polling units in the country would be made public after stock had been taken of the materials.

“We are going to register, re-validate and update our existing membership register across the country,” Buni had said.