The crisis bedeviling the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) may have taken a fresh twist as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has faulted a notice of the party’s emergency meeting planned by the Sani Bello led leadership of the party.
According to an insider, Governor Bello, upon resumption as chairman of CECPC of APC, transmitted a letter dated 8th March, 2022, informing INEC of the change of guard at the party’s national secretariat.
He introduced himself as Acting Chairman and Professor Tahir Mamman as the Acting Secretary. Both were said to have signed the letter.
The source also added that the letter served as notice to the commission of the CECPC decision to hold an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting next Thursday.
But, in a swift reaction, the commission was said to have replied the letter on Wednesday, 9th March, drawing the party’s attention to some obvious lacuna.
The INEC letter, signed by the Secretary to the commission, Mrs Rose Omoa Oriaran-Anthony, reads: “The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman (Buni) and National Secretary (Akpanudoedehe) 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 executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective offices.”
A top source at INEC said that this letter should not be interpreted as “rejection” of what the party did, saying what INEC did was to draw attention to the need to follow due process.
Bello’s letter, according to another source at INEC, remains strange as there was no time the commission was invited to observe or monitor any meeting where the changes took place, hence the letter was not honoured.
The source added: “Section 82(2-3) of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) makes it mandatory for all registered political parties in Nigeria to involve INEC in any meeting, congress or convention where elections or decisions to nominate executives or governing bodies of the party shall be taken.
“The same section also provided that, in a case of replacement of any vacant position in the party, INEC must be fully involved too.”
The source further maintained that the commission was not invited to any meeting or congress where Buni was removed as chairman, and as such, could not deal with what was not legally constituted.
“The APC will be heading for an illegal NEC meeting by next week by the provision of the law. It is the duty of the commission to properly guide the party, just as it will do to any of the opposition parties”, the source further stressed.
Source: Newsdiaryonline
