Buni c’ttee kicks as youths unveil plans for parallel convention

Reconciliation: Panel to meet Ganduje, Shekarau, Barau, others   By Saawua Terzungwe, Idowu Isamotu (Abuja) & Usman Bello Balarabe (Kano)   The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a different dimension yesterday as youths in the party announced the ‘dissolution’ of the party’s national caretaker committee led by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala […]

• Reconciliation: Panel to meet Ganduje, Shekarau, Barau, others

 

By Saawua Terzungwe, Idowu Isamotu (Abuja) & Usman Bello Balarabe (Kano)

 

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a different dimension yesterday as youths in the party announced the ‘dissolution’ of the party’s national caretaker committee led by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, and inaugurated a new one.

The youths, under the aegis of Progressive Youth Movement (PYM), at a press conference in Abuja, fixed February 26, 2021, for the party’s national convention. 

But in a swift reaction, the top echelon of the ruling party said the Buni-led committee remained sacrosanct, adding that the youths were not members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and lacked the power to dissolve the committee. 

The Buni-led committee was inaugurated in June 2020 saddled with the responsibility of organising a national convention, among others, following the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC), over alleged abuse of office. 

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, chairman of the new caretaker committee, Prince Mustapha Audu, who is the son of former Kogi State governor, Abubakar Audu, explained that they were out to “rescue the party from total collapse.”

Other committee members inaugurated at the event were the Vice Chair (North), Tukur Tukur Buratai; Vice Chair (South), Busayo Akinnadeju; South West representative, Hon. Omowunmi Ogungbaibi; South East representative, Barr Nonso Nwaebili and South South representative, Prince Godswill Edward.

Others are North Central representative, Dr Ibrahim Abdul; North East representative, Hon. Ibrahim A. Waziri; North West representative, Bello Bala Shagari; Senate representative, Sen. Ahmed Lawan; House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Physically Challenged, Sajo Xcarfini. 

Reacting, the APC deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, said the youths lacked the power to dissolve the Buni-led committee, as they are not members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).  

Similarly, Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said the youths were unknown to the party.

He said, “The purported group and its membership are unknown to the party. Hence, we completely disown them and cannot account for their activities or join issues with them.”

Meanwhile, the National Reconciliation Committee of the party has arrived in Kano to resolve the crisis among the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, among others.

The just-concluded congresses in the state had polarised the party in the state.

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the chairman of the committee, on Monday, told journalists that they are in Kano to reconcile the members of party.

The committee later met with aggrieved members of the party led by Shekarau behind closed doors.