THE All Progressives Congress, APC, may postpone other processes leading to election of officials, ahead of its national convention to next month, to enable it resolve sharp disagreement among various leaders of the party over the continuation of Yobe State governor and Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Mai Mala Buni, in office, following the latest Supreme Court judgement.
An informed source told Vanguard, yesterday: “The stance of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is that the party is sitting on a keg of gunpowder with Buni as caretaker chairman, given the minority judgement of three justices of the Supreme Court that impugned his holding executive and party leadership position at the same time.”
“While waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari’s return from London, some party leaders were tinkering with the option of disbanding the CECPC or reviewing the membership so as not to fall prey later, as the basis of the judgement was clear in law.”
This came as the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, expressed confidence in the Governor Buni-led caretaker committee and gave it a clean bill of health.
The source said: “Local government congresses have been postponed to September 10 to enable President Buhari, Osinbajo, Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, APC governors and other leaders meet and find a way out of the logjam, especially as the caretaker committee had already conducted ward congresses against the advice of the vice president.”
Malami and a number of the governors are, however, opposed to the position canvassed by Osinbajo and his disciples.
Omo-Agege, a lawyer, said: “It must be borne in mind always that each case must be considered on its particular or peculiar facts or circumstances. No one case is identical with the other or another. They may be similar but never identical.
“Of particular importance is the fact that the petition in Ondo State did not challenge the legality or competence of the APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee, but rather challenged the letter, dated July 27, 2020, forwarding the name of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his running mate to INEC as the candidates of the APC, on the ground that Mai Buni ought not to have signed the letter, being the executive governor of Yobe State.”
SGF backs Buni
Indeed, Boss Mustapha, who spoke in Jalingo, said: “The consensus arrangement for the ward congresses was well thought of. I also have confidence in the leadership of Governor Buni. What we saw at the ward congresses is what will obtain at the local government congresses.
“Stakeholders in every local government area would be allowed to choose leaders of their choice without any undue interference.”
He also appealed to resident doctors across the country to call off their strike, saying “my appeal to the doctors is for them to call off their strike.”
‘’This is for the benefit of their patients and also for the ethics of their profession which is not to allow people suffer unnecessarily. Government would be responsive and would also take step to ensure this issue that has lingered for so long is addressed.” (Vanguard)
