Buni May Return as APC Caretaker Chair, Emergency NEC Meeting Not Recognised

*With 21-day notice required, meeting to replace chairman before convention out of time
Charles Ajunwa in Lagos, Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) escalated yesterday with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejecting a letter inviting it to the emergency National Executive Committee meeting of the party scheduled for March 17 in Abuja where Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s appointment as caretaker chairman and other vital changes in the party are scheduled for ratification.

INEC said the letter was not signed by the ousted National Chairman and National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and John Akpanudoedehe, respectively, thus, truncating the planned NEC meeting, and ultimately, a threat to the National Convention scheduled for March 26.

By implication, Sani Bello’s leadership of APC is not known to INEC.
As a result, sources said some concerned stakeholders of the party reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered Buni’s removal, to forgive and allow him return as caretaker chairman, so that the March 26 National Convention date would be actualised, and save the party from ruin.
Another source told THISDAY that Buni would be heading to London tomorrow to meet with the President “and sort out all issues about his return as Chairman.”

With the 21-day notice required for NEC meeting, in which changes to the leadership of a party will be effected, the planned emergency NEC meeting of the Sani Bello team is effectively out of time. The National Convention would have taken place and new National Working Committee members in place.
Following the ouster of Buni, as the CECPC chairman last Tuesday and the appointment of Sani Bello, the Niger State Governor (upon resumption) transmitted a letter dated 8th March, 2022, informing INEC about the planned emergency NEC meeting.

Sani Bello introduced himself in the letter as acting Chairman while Professor Tahir Mamman was introduced as the acting Secretary of the party.
Bello and Professor Mamman were said to have signed the letter notifying the Commission about CECPC decision to hold the emergency NEC meeting and invited INEC to come and monitor it.
But the Commission, in a reply addressed to the “APC CECPC Chairman” dated March 9, 2022, drew the party’s attention to some lacuna in the invitation letter.
INEC said the letter of invitation did not carry the signature of Buni and Akpanudoedehe, whom by implication, the Commission is saying, remains the officers of the party known to it.

The INEC letter titled, “Re: Invitation to the Emergency Meeting of the National Executive Committee”, dated March 9, 2022, was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Omoa Oriaran-Anthony.
It reads: “Please refer to your letter Ref.APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/022/32, dated 8th March 2022. The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018).

“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of the provision in Section 82 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires ‘at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective office.

“While hoping these issues are noted for compliance, please accept the assurance of the Commission’s warm regards.”
By implication, the stipulated 21-day notice to INEC for the commission to monitor the planned emergency NEC meeting had not been complied with.
For INEC to monitor the emergency NEC meeting, the APC letter notifying it ought to have been written earlier than March 8.

One of the stakeholders pushing for Buni’s return told THISDAY last night that “two weeks is not too much to give Buni, so that the mess he created can be cleared by him. This is our best option, otherwise, the party will crumble.”
He added: “There is no point keeping Sani Bello as caretaker Committee Chairman. It is obviously illegal and INEC has clearly stated this. We are hopeful about getting a positive result from the President.”
The source further confirmed that Buni, who is in Dubai on medicals, would return to Abuja tomorrow and most likely resume as caretaker chairman on Monday.

Sani Bello Denies Buni’s Letter

Meanwhile, Governor Bello has denied knowledge of a letter purportedly written by Buni, asking him to take control of APC’s affairs, while he proceeds to Dubai for medicals.
The letter dated February 28, requesting a leave of absence, signed by Buni and addressed to Bello, copying the CECPC members and INEC, surfaced last Thursday.
But while fielding questions from journalists after the APC’s CECPC meeting late on Thursday, the Niger governor denied knowledge of the letter.

“I haven’t seen it,” he said.
Sani Bello added that he had been in charge of the committee “for a while.”
Also yesterday, INEC denied receiving Buni’s letter, saying it would have responded if it was in receipt of any letter written to indicate that Buni actually handed over the leadership of the party to Bello.
INEC National Commissioner of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye said: “The Commission has formal ways of communicating with political parties. The Commission is a public trust and any political party or individual that is interested in any communication by the Commission or to the Commission can apply for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the document.
“If the Commission is in receipt of such a document it will issue a CTC and will also respond if such a communication does not exist.”

‘APC Not Going Back on National Convention’

Despite the threats from INEC, the APC National Youth Leader and acting spokesperson, Ismael Ahmed said yesterday that the party would not change the date of its National Convention planned for March 26.
He said: “I’m not only a youth leader or internal spokesperson, I’m also a lawyer and we have served a notice to INEC for the 26th of February earlier. We served that notice on February 5 and that covered the required 21 days.”
Ahmed added that while Buni remained substantive Caretaker Chairman, Sani Bello was only acting.
He said: “Since the inception of this CECPC on June 25, 2020 whenever the chairman is not around and Governor Sani Bello is around, he acts on behalf of the acting Chairman. It has always been the case that has never changed. It has always been the case.

“And now the chairman wrote a letter and transmitted, for his leave to go for medical treatment. These are two emergencies. He has a medical emergency that cannot wait for convention. We have a convention that cannot wait for him to be healthy. So, one has to leave for another. The Chairman left, transmitted a letter, Governor Bello has been acting appropriately. What is the problem? Why is it difficult for people to simply understand that? “
He stated that Bello was acting with the full authority of the caretaker committee, stakeholders, leaders of the party, and with the full consent of Buni.

“It’s very clear and very simple. If anybody has any issues with any of our decisions, you can take it to court. For now we’re doing it with the full authority and backing of the law. So, there is no ambiguity in this. Absolutely none,” Ahmed said.

PDP: APC Lacks Legitimacy to Participate in 2023 Elections

The main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said the non-recognition of the activities of the APC by INEC further confirms its position that the APC lacks the legitimacy and statutory requisites to participate in the 2023 general election.
The PDP stated that INEC’s decision further authenticates its stand that “the APC is a Special Purpose Vehicle in liquidation, preparatory to winding up; that cannot legally produce candidates for the elections.”

This was contained in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
The statement read, “This decision by INEC is, therefore, another unmistaken ‘red flag’ to intending aspirants on the platform of the APC in the 2023 general elections that the APC has become defunct and cannot validly, legally and constitutionally field candidates in the 2023 general elections.”