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Ahead of its March 26 National Convention, aspirants vying for the office of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress will pay N20m to obtain forms.

This is as the forms for deputy national chairman will sell for N10m while zonal chairmen and other officers will pay N5m to obtain nomination forms.

The APC revealed this in a circular made available on Tuesday after its 25th regular meeting which was held on March 14, 2022.

Female aspirants and people with disabilities will pay 50 per cent of all the aforementioned rates.

The National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for February 26 may not be held on that day after all.

THISDAY can authoritatively confirm that the convention will be postponed by two weeks.

Efforts to speak to the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, on this latest development proved abortive.

Though there is no formal announcement yet, a very reliable party source informed THISDAY last night that the (CECPC) and the APC governors would meet President Muhammadu Buhari today to propose a new date, which is likely to be March 12.


The source who preferred anonymity said, “The convention has been postponed by two weeks but it is not official yet. The Caretaker Committee and the governors will meet with the President on Saturday (today) to propose the new date.”

Also, a former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, who pleaded for anonymity, said it was already clear that the convention would not hold, “because there are some things that needed to be done for the convention to hold as scheduled on February 26 and most of them had not been done, with few days to February 26.”


The source stressed that, for instance, one of the things that ought to have been done was zoning of party offices.

He continued: “People have not bought forms and people cannot buy form if the zoning is not done; and forms cannot come out until the zoning is done. That is when aspirants will know what kind of forms they are buying. If you don’t know the zoning, you can’t buy a form.

“There are no committees; all the sub-committees have not been set up as we speak. I remember that at the last convention, there were over 20 committees beside the main convention committee.”


Reacting to the purported plans by some governors and a principal officer in the Senate to foist Senator Abdulahi Adamu on the party, he said “while individuals or groups can have preference, President Muhammadu Buhari has the final say on who becomes the next Chairman of the party.
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“Whatever you are hearing now are mere speculations because nobody can push anybody. All of them are waiting for the president. Everybody is waiting for the president and that is why until the president says this is the chairman before they can now zone other positions around where he comes from.


“So, they have to know whom; they have to know which zone he is from before they can now zone the remaining offices based on that. But that is not to say that individual governors or some group will not have their preferences. But those cannot mean anything, except such individuals or groups are able to convince the president to now adopt their own.”

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressive Congress has inaugurated its State Working Committee led by a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Acho Obioma.

The former state chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, handed over the reins of the party leadership to him at the party Secretariat on Azikwe road, Umuahia, the state capital on Thursday.

Nwankpa said the emergence of Obioma, as the state chairman of the party, is the wish of its teeming members, adding his reign marked the beginning of a new era in Abia APC.

Nwankpa revealed that APC under his watch rose from obscurity to limelight.

He pointed out that the party cannot be highjacked by one man, who had refused to submit himself to the leadership of the party.

He insisted that there is no faction in Abia APC, rather there is a session of the party loyal to the National Caretaker Chairman of the party, Governor Mai Mala Buni.

In his acceptance speech, Obioma lauded the members of the party for counting him worthy to be their leader, stating that he would do the job to the best of his
He urged members of the party to hold regular meetings at the ward and Local Government levels of the party to strengthen their growth.

He said, “Abia APC has discovered that all Abia residents want a change of the government in the state. We are determined to bring that change to the people of the state come 2023.

“We are therefore soliciting the support of all and sundry to assist us in our quest to bring this change to Abia State”.

The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Engr. Mike Odoemena, told journalists that Obioma, is the authentic state chairman of the APC, while the Secretariat remains that of No. 38 Azikwe road Umuahia.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has accused the All Progressives Congressive (APC) of trying to “penetrate the leadership” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike said this on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with party stakeholders in Plateau state.

The Rivers governor had earlier attended the court sitting for the trial of Jonah Jang, former governor of Plateau, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Yusuf Pam, former cashier in the office of the secretary to the state government (OSSG), for alleged misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N6.32 billion.

After the court sitting, Wike held a meeting with Jang and Jeremiah Useni, a former governorship candidate of the PDP.

According to a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his spokesperson, the Rivers governor said the visit was part of efforts to reclaim the state for the opposition party in the next general election.

“I do know that there will be bye-election at the federal constituency and state constituency, and then again we are talking about the gubernatorial and national election next year. If the party is not united, no matter how bad APC is, there is no way we can win,” he was quoted as saying.

“And so, for me, personal sacrifices can be made if you’ve fought wars for this country, for the unity of Nigeria. Today, Nigeria is bleeding. Not only Nigeria is bleeding, Plateau too is bleeding. I have no apology to say that the people of Plateau state are waiting for you both to put the party together and then you will just take back Plateau state. Plateau state is a natural PDP state.

“There are disagreements everywhere. There are disagreements in the party both at the national level. So, it is not a question of ‘I am right’. It is not a question of ‘Jang is right; you are wrong, or you are right; Jang is wrong’. It is a question of, for whatever it takes, can we please, in the name of God, leave our personal interests and make our party move forward.

“APC is trying to penetrate our party to make sure that the leadership of the party at the national level is being distracted through one or two persons. But we are making sure that does not happen. While we are doing that, we also want to make sure that the branches are also united.

“If the party is united, then we are sure of coasting home in 2023. And not just the national election, also Plateau state, knowing fully well that Plateau is a PDP state but somehow we are no longer in power in Plateau state.”

Speaking on the meeting between Jang and Useni, Wike said both men have agreed to work together in the interest of the PDP.

“I can tell you that the two of them have agreed. They will meet on their own, compare notes and share. Then, we will later meet. By the grace of God, I can tell you that PDP will bounce back in Plateau state,” he said.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, vacated the order made against the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) lawyer, Jimoh Adamu, over his alleged refusal to appear before it

Justice Inyang Ekwo also vacated the Dec. 21, 2021 order directing the NIS to pay N2 million fine for alleged failure to release the international passport of former Governor of Rivers, Peter Odili, days after the prayer was granted.

The development followed Odili’s confirmation in the courtroom that the NIS had complied with the order on Dec. 20, 2021.

Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, who appeared for the former governor, told the court shortly after Adamu cleared the air on the controversy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Ekwo had, on Dec. 21, 2021, summoned Adamu over his failure to appear before the court on two occasions and the refusal of his office to release the travel documents of former Rivers Governor, Peter Odili after a court order.

The judge, who ordered the NIS to pay a N2 million fine for its conduct, directed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to take disciplinary action against lawyer to NIS for alleged unprofessional conduct.

The court also struck out the motion for stay of execution filed by the NIS against its order and ordered Adamu to appear before it on Jan. 21 to show cause why a disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
But on that day, Adamu was again not in court.

An NIS lawyer, Bichi Abba, who announced appearance in the matter, said Adamu was indisposed, and the judge fixed today (Feb. 7) for Adamu to appear for the last chance.

There was, however, controversy on Monday when Adamu appeared in court, stating that his office (NIS) had complied with the order since Dec. 20, 2021.

He expressed surprise over Adedipe’s misinformation, which he said had cost him so much embarrassment.

He stressed that the NIS had since complied though he had been unable to file an affidavit to the effect.
“My lord, I sincerely apologise that I didn’t file affidavit to show course for compliance. I am under the weather,” he said.

Responding, Adedipe said he was informed over the weekend that his client’s passport had been released to him in accordance with the court order.

He urged the court to put a stop to the hearing already slated for Adamu to appear to show cause why a disciplinary action should not be meted out to him.

Adamu, who was visibly angry over the development, said he did not disrespect the court contrary to the insinuation.

He said since the order of the court, he had been reporting at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a daily basis until it was clarified that he was not at fault.

“My lord, my name has been on social media for an offence I did not commit,” he said.
Adamu then prayed the court to discharge all the orders made against him and his office, including the order to pay the sum of N2 million for failure to release the travel documents.
In the affidavit of compliance and to show cause dated Feb. 7 and filed same date, Adamu said upon receipt of court judgment and Odili’s letter requesting release of his passport dated Dec. 17, 2021, NIS complied on Dec. 20, 2021.

He said the Passport Numbers: A5021427 and B50031305 were released to Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, Odili’s daughter, who is also a judge at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Court, in accordance with Odili’s instruction in the letter signed by him.

The lawyer averred that not only did the passports handed over to Odili, he said the ex-governor’s name was removed from the watchlist on same day in compliance with court order.

He said since Odili’s counsel misled the court in giving an order for disciplinary action against him, it had caused unnecessary hardship on him emotionally, psychologically, physically and otherwise.

He stressed that it had also put his reputation to disrepute and exposed him to public odium and redicule.

He said it was Adedipe who misled the court that deserved to be sanctioned and face the disciplinary action of the court.

Beside, Adamu averred that Adedipe did not also inform the court that the appeal in the case was entered on Jan. 20 after service had been effected on him making the Court of Appeal seized of the matter.

He said the senior lawyer’s action in the court’s proceedings on Dec. 21, 2021 and Jan. 21 deserved to be reported to the Legal Practitioner Disciplinary Committee for misconduct and appropriate taken.

Justice Ekwo, after perusing the affidavit and other exhibits attached, vacated the orders against Adamu and NIS.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 25 for report on the Court of Appeal’s decision.

NAN reports that Justice Ekwo had, on Oct. 18, 2021, in a suit filed by Odili against the NIS and its Comptroller General, ordered the immediate release and return of his International passports.

Ekwo had also ordered the NIS to write an apology to Odili for the unlawful seizure of his passport as well as the embarrassment meted to him.

However, about 37 days after the court judgment, the NIS on Nov. 23, 2021, told the court to stay execution because it had appealed the judgment.
In a motion filed before the court, the NIS had sought a stay of execution on the judgement it delivered.

Ekwo, who then adjourned on the condition that the NIS must submit Odili’s passport with the court registrar as a condition for their motion to be heard, fixed a date for hearing the application.

But on the adjourned date, no counsel appeared for the NIS, and counsel to Odili, Adedipe, made an application against the NIS, urging the court to award a fine for their disregard to a court order.

TheSameGuy:
How do you mean

Fresh tension is brewing in the ranks of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the party’s national convention slated for February 26, 2022.

There are indications that delegates will be drawn from factions loyal to the governors or most senior Federal Government officials or political office holders in the states without APC governors, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

The exception to the party move may be in Kano State where an FCT High Court has recognised the faction led by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau. This might change should the Court of Appeal recognise the faction led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje before the convention.

However, factions not loyal to the governors have insisted that they would present delegates at the convention, just as others resolved to wait for court rulings on cases bordering on the internal party crisis.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the APC Caretaker Committee led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, already had a list of all party chairmen it is working with.

These state chairmen are believed to have been produced from congresses monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission and representatives of the national leadership of the APC.



The list obtained by Saturday PUNCH showed that in Abia State, Mr Eyinna Harbor is recognised as the party chairman while in Adamawa, it is Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal. The recognised chairman in Akwa Ibom is Augustine Ekanem. However, there is no recognised chairman in Anambra State yet.

In Bauchi State, where there are two factions separately led by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; and the Nigeria Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tugar; the APC national leadership seems to have taken sides with Adamu who is close to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) Consequently, Adamu’s ally, Babayo Misau, is recognised as the authentic chairman.

Chief Dennis Otiotio is the recognised chairman in Bayelsa State while in Benue, Augustine Agada is the chairman. Ali Dalori and Alphonsus Eba are the respective chairmen in Borno and Cross River states.

In Delta State where two factions separately led by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, are in a supremacy battle, the APC national leadership recognises Omo-Agege’s faction led by Omeni Sobotie. Keyamo’s faction led by Chukwusa Edafe lost in court last month.

Also, Mr Stanley Emegha is the recognised chairman in Ebonyi State while Col. David Muse (retd.) is the person the party considers as its authentic chairman in Edo State. Other recognised chairmen include: Paul Omotosho (Ekiti State), Chief Ogochukwu Agballah (Enugu), Abdulmalik Ahmed (FCT), Nitte Amangal (Gombe), Macdonald Ebere (Imo), Aminu Gumel (Jigawa), Air Commodore EK Jekada (retd.) and Sani Ahmed (Katsina). Abubakar Kana (Kebbi), Abdullahi Bello (Kogi).

In Kwara State where Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, lock horns, the national leadership of the APC recognises the governor’s faction led by Fagbemi Adeniran.

Others recognised by the APC leadership include: Cornelius Ojelabi (Lagos), Dr John Mamman (Nasarawa); and Haliru Jikantoro (Niger). In Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin is the recognised chairman while in Osun State where Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, are engaged in a supremacy battle, Prince Gboyega Famodun, who is loyal to the governor, is the recognised chairman.


Similarly, in Rivers State, the faction led by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, seems to be the recognised faction as Emeka Beke, who is an ally of Amaechi, is the recognised chairman.

Others include: Isaac Omodewu (Oyo), Rufus Bature (Plateau), Isahsano Acida (Sokoto), Ibrahim El-Sudi (Taraba) and Mohammed Sadaka (Yobe).

It was learnt that the APC reconciliation committee led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu has not been able to fully reconcile all factions even as the committee is expected to submit its report next week.

Meanwhile, sources close to the national headquarters of the party said the National Caretaker Committee was favourably disposed to back the list of delegates from factions loyal to the governors.

A member of the caretaker committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told one of our correspondents that it would be difficult for the party to discard the governors’ backed list, saying that the governors remained the leaders of the party in their respective states.

He said though the aggrieved members could have what he described as “genuine reasons”, it would be tough for the party to ignore the governors and side with individuals in their states.

The APC chieftain said, “Look, we have sitting governors and they are doing well. If we have a sitting governor in a state, it is a rule that such a governor is the leader of the party in his state. We expect our party members to defer to the governor.



“At the national level, we defer to the President as the national and overall leader of the party. He was instrumental to the setting up of this national caretaker committee of the party.”

Alluding to the APC crisis in Osun State, another reliable source in the caretaker committee stated that as the President is the national leader of the party, so are the APC governors “the number one eyes” of the party at the state level.

He stated, “For example, in a state like Osun where we have a governor being fought by a minister, do we begin to side with the minister, who was a former governor? Fair is fair. We need to be reasonable in our thinking and whatever we do.

“In the same state, congresses were held and monitored by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and representatives of the party from the national headquarters, Abuja. So, how do we turn around to say a congress monitored by INEC and which was adjudged to have complied with all the laid down rules is not acceptable to us? This is one of the reasons we feel it is not logical to abandon the governors and begin to side with individuals or ministers in those (aggrieved) states.”

A national leadership member of the party also told Saturday PUNCH that in circumstances – such as in Kano – where competent courts ruled against governors’ camps, the party would have no option but to comply with court judgments.

“We will have no option but to comply with such a judgment as we will state clearly that we took the action based on court judgment or pronouncement,” he added.

Reacting to the move by the national leadership of the party to recognise delegate lists submitted by the governors’ factions, the Chairman of South West Agenda for Asiwaju Tinubu 2023 in Ekiti State, Senator Tony Adeniyi (SAN), said the ‘kangaroo’ delegates elected in the last year’s APC congresses in the state would not attend the national convention.


Aggrieved APC members in the state had taken the APC to court over the ward congresses, saying the exercise did not hold in the state and therefore urged the court to nullify the exercise and the subsequent local government and state congresses.

Adeniyi said, “We are already in court, part of what we have asked for in court is that there are no delegates from last year’s congresses in Ekiti State.

“I am a statutory delegate being a non-serving senator, so I will attend the national convention. Other statutory delegates on our side will be attending as well. But all the kangaroo delegates that emerged from the so-called congresses might not attend, depending on what the court says.

We await court judgment – Lai Mohammed faction
The APC faction in Kwara State loyal to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was waiting for the ruling on the case it filed before the court on the purported removal of the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa, by the National Caretaker Committee of the party.

The deputy chairman elected by the faction in its parallel congress in October 2021, Chief Sunday Oyebiyi, said that the case filed by the faction at an Abuja High Court had been concluded and that judgment was being awaited.


He added, “As of now, nobody is sure which of the factions will go to the convention. Apart from Kwara, other states also filed cases against the party. So, we are all waiting for the judgment.

“We are not filing a fresh suit, but we are relying on the existing one that we have, so, we hope that our faction will be recognised and we will be going for the party convention.”



In Osun State, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs, Sunday Akere, while speaking with one of our correspondents, noted that the factional APC officers produced by the former Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led ‘The Osun Progressives,’ “cannot go for the national convention because the group did not hold valid local government congress.”

But the factional secretary of the APC in Osun, Lani Baderinwa, insisted that the group backed by ex-governor Aregbesola held valid congresses from ward to state levels and elected officials that would go to the national convention.

He noted, “Whoever said we did not hold congresses from ward to state levels in Osun State did not say the truth. Those opposing us do not mind that APC degenerates and destabilised. But we will not allow them. We held ward congress, why won’t we also hold local government congress? What are we challenging in court? It is the ward congress.”

A Federal High Court sitting in the state has slated ruling on the preliminary objections against a suit filed on behalf of aggrieved members of the APC in Osun State against the last ward congress of the party in the state, for Wednesday, January 26.

In Zamfara State, the spokesperson for the Senator Kabiru Marafa faction, Bello Maradun, said the faction of the party “will surely be the one to attend the forthcoming APC national convention.”

Maradun, however, explained that they have a pending court case that was expected to be decided before the date of the convention.

In his reaction, the chairman of the publicity committee of the former Governor Abdul Aziz Yari-led faction, Ibrahim Magaji, said they were still in court and that he would not want to comment on the issue.


He said, “Our faction of the APC loyal to former Governor Abdul Aziz Yari is already in court, so I don’t want to talk much on the issue of the national convention. When the case is over, we will make our position known.”

But Yusuf Idris, the Publicity Secretary of the incumbent Zamfara State APC backed by Governor Bello Matawalle, said only the governor’s faction had the constitutional backing to attend the national convention.

He said, “I want to categorically make you understand that the national headquarters of the APC does not recognise both the Yari and the Marafa so-called faction.”

Ganduje’s faction hopeful of resolving crisis
The Ganduje faction of the APC expressed optimism that the crisis bedevilling the party in the state would be resolved before the party’s national convention.

The faction’s Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Maigari, in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, said, “We have high hopes that the leadership crisis facing the party in the state will soon be resolved before the date fixed for the National Convention.”

On whether the party would go to court in the event they were excluded from the convention, Maigari said he could not comment on that because the appeal on the leadership crisis of the APC in Kano was still pending in court.

However, when contacted, the chairman of the former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau-led faction in the state, Alhaji Haruna Danzago, simply said the faction had no problem as regards the delegates list since it had been recognised by the court.



Abia factions awaiting National Reconciliation Committee’s report
The two factions of the APC in Abia State said they would wait for the report of the party’s National Reconciliation Committee to enable them to know who will submit the delegate list for the party’s National Convention.

The state Caretaker Committee chairman, Donatus Nwankpa, said, “The committee has yet to put up their report. We will wait for them to resolve the matter. When people go to court, it is to seek justice. If the internal conflict resolution mechanism offers fairness and justice, no one will go to court.”

But the APC chairman of Ikechi Emenike-led faction, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, said, “There cannot be two APC factions in the state and so, the recognised APC will submit the delegates list.”

He said the national committee would submit its report, stating that his priority now was to have APC in the state as one family.

Ogun APC factions keep mum over delegate list
The two factions of the party in Ogun State have kept mum over which of them would produce the delegate list for the national convention.

The party had been divided into two factions led by the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun and former governor Ibikunle Amosun.

Despite the intervention of the reconciliatory committee of the APC to reconcile them, the two factions were adamant over which faction controlled the party structure.


Both factions declined comments when contacted for reactions to the purported move by the national caretaker committee to accept only the delegate lists from governors’ factions.

The factional Chairman loyal to Amosun, Derin Adebiyi, said he was not ready to make a comment on the issue.

The factional Publicity Secretary of the party in the state loyal to Abiodun, Tunde Oladunjoye, also refused to comment on the issue.

We hope to see Goje at convention – Gombe Exco
The spokesman for the APC in Gombe State, Moses Kyari, said the state would present “a common front at the national convention” noting that those who resigned their appointments would be accepted.

He said, “We are working towards the convention. After the Senator Abdullahi Adamu reconciliation committee in Abuja, it was agreed that Goje should not give any condition for his continuous stay in the party. Invariably the governor was also asked to accept and carry Goje along.

“For those that resigned, it is believed they are not interested in the offices. The constitution of the party allows us to replace those that have resigned and we have already replaced them and we will be swearing them in soon. We hope to meet Goje at the convention.”

The All Progressives Congress has said it will begin the sale of forms for aspirants vying for its national positions ahead of the National Convention from February 14.

National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, announced this in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said, “The APC CECPC at its 19th regular meeting on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at the party’s National Secretariat considered and adopted the timetable/schedule of activities for the February 26, APC National Convention.”

According to him, the schedule of activities ahead of the party’s national convention is as seen below:

“Receiving of the interim report of the National Reconciliation Committee, January 31, 2022.

“Consideration and adoption of Reports of State Congresses – February 2, 2022.

“Inauguration of the State Executives – February 03, 2022.



“Sale of forms to all aspirants vying for National Offices at the APC National Secretariat, February 14, 2022.

“Submission of completed forms and accompanying documents at the APC National Secretariat on or before February 19, 2022.

“Publication of Sub-Committees – February 19, 2022.


“Screening of all aspirants vying for National Offices – February 20 – February 22.

“Screening Appeals to hear and resolve complaints arising from the screening exercise – February 23, 2022.

“Accreditation of all statutory and elected delegates to the National Convention – February 24 to February 25, 2022.

“National Convention to elect National Officers to the National Executive Committee – February 26, 2022.


“National Convention Appeal to hear and resolve complaints arising from the National Convention – February 28, 2022.”

The APC scribe, at an interaction with newsmen at the party’s National Secretariat, had earlier described as fake, reports that the party’s leadership had zoned its national chairmanship position to a particular zone.

Akpankudohede said the report should be disregarded, adding that there was no decision on that.

New national executives are expected to be elected at the party’s National Convention to manage its affairs which are presently being managed by Governor Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC.

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress may have decided to zone the National Secretary position of the APC to the South-East while the North-Central will get the chairmanship of the party. The deputy national chairman (South) is expected to go to the South-South, The PUNCH has learnt.

A top chieftain of the APC revealed this to The PUNCH even as he stated that the party would be alternating certain positions.

He said positions that were occupied by northerners in the last National Working Committee would be given to southerners and vice versa.

The chieftain said, “Discussions are ongoing. So far, we have agreed that the North-Central will take the national chairmanship position while the South-South will take the national deputy chairman (South) and then the South-East will get the national secretary position.

“Also, the plan is that all positions that the North occupied in the last NWC will now be occupied by the South. Of course, everyone who wants to contest has the right to do so but this is the plan for now. Other positions will be determined in due course.”

The APC is also expected to set up sub-committees that will handle several aspects of the convention ranging from publicity to budget, security and logistics.

The members of the caretaker committee met in Abuja on Tuesday but had yet to finalise discussions and agreed to meet again on Wednesday.



Earlier on Tuesday, the Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, announced that the APC national convention will hold on February 26, 2022.

Buni, who stated this on Tuesday while delivering his keynote address at the Progressives Women Congress held in Abuja declined stating the venue of the convention.

In his message to delegates, Buni urged women to gun for public offices saying the APC is the most friendly women party in Nigeria.

He said, “You remain the best mobilisers of support to any political party and its candidates. You have always been there in the queue on election days to determine the fate of candidates. With this, we are confident of winning the 2023 general elections with huge success.

“Let me assure you that the party shall not forget this gesture by supporting women and youths for their political aspirations and to realise their political dreams.

“We look forward to having more women contesting in the forthcoming national convention of the party on February 26, 2022, and the general elections.”

He urged women to enlighten their relatives and the larger society that elections are not do or die affair


“As we approach the convention, and draw closer to the general elections, I wish to remind you of your Progressives roles and supporting progressive minded leaders aspiring for various offices for the betterment of our country.

“We should promote peaceful elections and service delivery against personal gains. Let me once again assure, that APC will continue to support you and support you generously,” Buni said.


In her remarks, the President’s wife, Aisha Buhari, said as the country welcomes another election year, leaders must go beyond paying lip service to putting women in vital offices within our party and the government.

She said, “Since 2015, I have had the privilege of engaging Nigerian women across the entire country. My conviction is that Nigeria’s future is entirely dependent on actualizing the potentials of our women. It is no mere coincidence that countries that have grown strong, prosperous and influential have prioritized women participation in nation building.

“I therefore wish to call upon the APC to double its efforts promoting women. This I believe should serve as one of the objectives of this Conference. As Nigeria heads towards another election year, we must go beyond paying lip service to putting women in vital offices within our party and the government.

“We must put in place, workable strategies to ensure that this actually happens. Charity must begin at home and so the APC must start by ensuring that women occupy strategic offices within the party and more strategic roles in governance.”

Aisha called upon Nigerian women to continue the struggle by showing greater interest, commitment and unity in the decision making process of this country saying “Our vantage point lies in our sheer numerical strength.”



In a related development, the APC has released its timetable for concurrent legislative by-elections in Cross River, Imo, Ondo, Plateau states in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guidelines.

The APC’s approved timetable/schedule of activities for the concurrent Legislative by-elections was signed by the National Secretary, APC Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe.

The by-elections will hold in Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, Ondo State; Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, Plateau; and Pankshin South State Constituency, Plateau.

Others are Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River; Akpabuyo State Constituency, Cross River; and Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Imo.

The notice of election to the state chapters was made on Tuesday. The sale of forms began on the same day while the deadline for submission January 24. The screening of aspirants is January 26 while the publication of claims and objections is January 28.

The primaries are expected to take place on February 1, 2022 while appeals will begin on February 3.

The expression of interest and nomination forms for the House of Representatives positions cost N3, 850, 000. For the State House of Assembly positions, the forms cost N850, 000. Female spirants and physically challenged aspirants 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each positions.