President Muhammadu Buhari received the committee on the APC National Convention comprising the sitting Governors – Atiku Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi state , Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa state on the proposed National Convention of the APC at the State House. Monday, November 22,2021.
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The president at the meeting has given his approval of February 2022 for the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, made the announcement on Monday in Abuja.
Bagudu was the company of the Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.
While briefing the State House Correspondents that the meeting was to give report to the President on the outcome of the Progressives Governors’ Forum meeting which was held on Sunday night.
He said “the governors resolved that the convention should hold in February 2022 and the same suggestion was proposed to the President for approval.”
However, he said that “the party’s leadership has yet to decide on a specific date to conduct its national convention.”
Bagudu stated that the party would notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while it works out a timetable.
Although Bagudu was not specific on the exact date for the convention in February, but he reiterates that the convention was shifted because some states who were yet to complete their congresses.
He said: “On November 21, the Progressive Governors’ Forum met, where we congratulated and thanked the Caretaker Committee for working so hard in leading the party. We also thanked the President for supporting them to deliver on their mandate.
I also informed him that the Progressive Governors’ Forum discussed the issue of national convention of the party and they required us to come and discuss with the President as the party’s leader to give the input of the governors so that the party and the President will be of support.
Among What we got yesterday was that we still have four states which are in the process of completing their congresses, they include Anambra which is understandable because of the just concluded governorship election, also include Zamfara and two other state, due to logistic challenges and then, Christmas is fast approaching and early January we will be very busy with Ekiti.
“Therefore, the governors, based on all these, suggested that the party and the President should graciously consider February and the President is was okay with the suggestion.”
Meanwhile the National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mai Mala Buni, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said: “The Progressive Governors’ Forum after their meeting, has suggested February to the party and the President has concurred so we are going ahead to plan for the convention in February.
“Nigerians should expect more unity and progress as a result of the forthcoming convention.”
As regarding the speculation from some quarters that Mala Mai Buni might be delaying the convention to extend his tenure as the Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Buni said: “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 adhoc and of course to reposition the party and that is exactly what we have been able to achieve.”
It will be recalled that Mala Mai Buni took over the APC leadership in June 2020 following the dissolution of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and he has since then Bern hitting the ground running to ensure that the party is redeemed back to its status.