President Muhammadu Buhari has approved February 2022 for the conduct of the much anticipated national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), an official said after meeting with the president.
This was disclosed by the National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Governor of Yobe State, Mala Buni, after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday in Abuja.
The meeting was also attended by Governors Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa.
Bagudu is the chairman of the APC governors’ forum, also called Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF).
Buni, in an interview with State House journalists after the meeting, said the approved month was suggested by the forum in a meeting held on Sunday.
He added that the party has not arrived at an exact date for the event but will do so after wide consultation with other stakeholders.
Buni, whose elongated tenure on the seat has continued to attract criticism from members, dismissed the speculation of planning another extension.
“Am I a jobless person who is always trying to extend his tenure; to do what? I have my primary responsibility as a governor to go back to my state and carry out my primary responsibility. What I am here to do is ad-hoc and of course to reposition the party and that is exactly what we have been able to achieve,” he said.
The Yobe State Governor was appointed in June 2020 to lead a 13-member National Caretaker Committee following the controversial dissolution of Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
He was tasked to harmonise the fractured party and deliver an acceptable national convention within six months, a feat he could not achieve.
Amidst other emerging leadership tussles within the party, Mr Buni’s tenure was extended from December 2020 to June 2021.
However, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Mr Bagudu, in his comment, explained that the governors’ decision was informed by the need to complete outstanding congresses in four states
“Part of the inputs we got yesterday was that we still have four states which are in the process of completing their congresses like Anambra; understandably because of the recent gubernatorial election, Zamfara and two others, because of logistic challenge. And then, Christmas is around the corner and early January we will be very busy with Ekiti.
“So, the governors, based on all these, suggested the party and the president should graciously consider February and the president is favourably disposed to the suggestion,” Mr Bagudu explained.
The APC is expected to elect its new national leaders at the convention. The leaders will guide the party into the 2023 general election.