- Letter writing won’t help you, says ruling party
Iheanacho Nwosu and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) Alhaji Buba Galadima, has asked the Indepenndent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise the Adam Oshiomohle-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Galadima claimed in a signed letter to the INEC Chairman Prof Mamood Yakubu, that APC’s June 23 national convention, which produced the new NWC, was in contravention of the party’s laws.
The 12 point letter named the officers of the party that should not be recoganised by the commission to include Adams Oshiomhole, National Welfare Secretary Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Tunde Bello, National officer Physically Challenged, Misbahu L. Didi, Zonal Secretary North-Central , Dr. Zakari Muhammed, Zonal Organising Secretary North-Central, Ibrahim M. Abdul.
Others are the Zonal Women Leader North-Central – Hajia Hassana Abdullahi, Ex-Officio North-Central – Nelson Abba, Zonal Secretary North-East – Abubakar Sadiq Ajia ,Ex-Officio North-East – Mallam Isah Azare, Zonal Secretary North-West–Tukur A. Gusau, Zonal Organizing Secretary North-West – Abdulmunab Muhammad, Ex-Officio, North-West – Nasiru Haladu Danu, Zonal Woman Leader South-South – Mrs. Rachael Akpabio, Ex-Officio, South-South – Kotenten Ibadan, Zonal Secretary South-West – Ayo Afolabi, Zonal Women Leader South-West – Mrs. Kemi Nelson and Ex-Officio South-West – Omoloye O. Akintola.
“Their emergence is a breach of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the APC (Article 20(1)).
“I write as a foundation member of the APC, a member of its Board of Trustees, national caucus and an automatic delegate at its national convention, to bring to your notice that on 23rd June, 2018, the APC purportedly held a very flawed and undemocratic convention for the purpose of electing its national officers, following disputed congresses held in various wards (May 2, 2018), local governments (May 5, 2018), state congress (May 8, 2018).
“These congresses leading up to the national convention of the party were marred with serious irregularities and manipulations, to the extent that in at least 22 states, parallel congresses were held and different set of delegates and officers emerged.
“Some of the states include Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara.
“You should please access the report of your offices in these states for confirmation.” Galadima emphasised that Article 20 (1) of the APC constitution was not adhered to in the election of the officers named above.
“…Furthermore, in the course of the convention proceedings, many other persons purportedly withdrew from the contest for the various offices, and the convention chairman, (Jigawa State Governor)Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar announced them as unopposed and “elected,” without following any form of due process. This affected the position of the national secretary and others.
“What transpired was that the chairman of the convention, flagrantly usurped the powers of the delegates and declared 18 officers elected without following the laid down criteria.”
Meanwhile, the APC has waved off R-APC’s letter to INEC.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ruling party described the action of the Galadima-led faction as ill-conceived.
“INEC has no powers to cancel an election it did not organise. Secondly, the man calling for the cancellation of the convention did not contest for any position at the convention. Therefore he has no locus to complain about its outcome.
“Besides, if a candidate is not happy with the election process at the convention, they should petition the Appeals Committee. INEC cannot help them,” he said.