APC Governors Call For Oshiomhole’s Replacements
LAGOS MARCH 7TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Salisu Lukman, Director General of Progressives Governors Forum, umbrella body of governors elected under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked leaders of the party across all interests to seize opportunity of the lull occasioned by the injunction slammed on Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to name an Acting National chairman, and kick the party back to life.
He noted that beyond the ongoing contestations by a segment of the present National Working Committee NWC to retain relevance in the wake Oshiomhole’s exit, that the APC as presently constituted is facing a mountain of problems that leaders cannot continue be ignored.
Dr Lukman canvassed the view in an opinion article he sent to Independent Newspapers on Friday insisting that the party must begin a process of rebirth pending resolution of legal logjam around Oshiomhole.
His views are coming on the heels of sustained security build up around the party’s national Secretariat where police on Friday locked all staff and visitors, including members of the APC National Workings Committee (NWC) from gaining access into the premises.
The PGF DG said the party should invoke article 17(iv) of the APC constitution and name an interim chairman for ratification at a National Convention he also said should be convoked immediately. He stressed that the convention should be geared toward filling over six vacancies that exits in the NWC.
Lukman said:
“The reality is that our party APC is faced with a big problem whereby none of
our organs are meeting as provided by the constitution. In fact, we are even
not sure who our members are.
“There is therefore the urgent need to resume the process of party building with confirmation of our members as well as recruiting new members. This has to be followed with processes of leadership reformation through Wards, Local Governments and States Congresses to National Convention.
“How can we get all these started? First, pending the settlement of all the cases around Comrade Oshiomhole’s membership, we need to invoke provisions of Article 17 (vi) which provides that in the event of a vacancy, “the relevant Party organ shall appoint another person to act in his place pending ratification by the National Convention or Congress.”
“The relevant party organ in this case may have to be the National Executive Committee (NEC). Given all the vacancies about six so far, National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (South), Deputy National Chairman (North), National Vice Chairman (North West), National Secretary and National Auditor.
On who convene the NEC, he said the leaders of APC starting from President Mohammadu Buhari must consult, and negotiate with majority of the remaining members of the NWC, the Governors, and leading members of the National Caucus to resolve all these issues and convene the NEC to appoint an Acting National Chairman.
“With the appointment of an Acting National Chairman, the next would be to seek to invoke provisions of Article 25 A(i) of the APC constitution, which stipulate that the “National Convention of the Party shall be held once in Two (2) years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of statutory notice to Independent National Electoral Commission and at least fourteen (14) days notice given to members eligible to attend.”
“Already, this is the second year since the last Convention in 2018 where Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC was elected. What this means is that with or without our current challenges we are actually due for a National Convention.
“Once a NEC is convened, all these processes should therefore be activated. The other issue is the question of what are the other steps or decisions needed to ensure the emergence a new atmosphere in the party that will promote reconciliation and re-orient the party to regain its political profile as a party commanding mass appeal? Part of the requirement may have to include a decision by the NEC to set aside all cases of disciplinary decisions taken by the party organs at different level in the last two years. This is important in order to basically promote reconciliation based on a strategy to ensure internal harmony.
He suggested the expansion of mandate of the Chief Bisi Akande -led Reconciliation Committee to also include a review of all disciplinary issues involving members of the party as well as a “review of process of candidates selection with all the allegations of financial misdeed against the Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC during the 2019 elections” .
The PGF director general maintained that the party’s mantra to fight corruption must begin in the NWC, as he called for probe of Oshiomhole .
” There is no way we can make progress in our fight against corruption if in the end our NWC is turned into a harbinger for corrupt practices during elections” he said.
Independent.ng
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Posted by News Rangers
on Mar 7 2020. Filed under National.
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