Apc to hold extraordinary convention October 29

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is to hold an extraordinary convention in Abuja on Wednesday, October 29 to amend the constitution of the party in order to allow it to function more effectively.

Briefing newsmen on the outcome of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the extraordinary convention will also rectify the modalities for the conduct of the presidential primaries of the party.

He said: “Principally, we proposed certain amendments to the constitution of the party that will allow the party to function much more efficiently. And to that extent, we will hold what I call an extraordinary convention of the party on the 29 of this month in Abuja to submit the proposals of the amendment to the national convention of the party.

“We have already published our guidelines on our time table and so far nothing has changed.

“The modalities for the primaries is part of the reason why we need to amend our constitution because the Electoral Act 2010 as amended says that one can conduct a primary.

“But if you are going to do that, then one must be explicit on how you are going to conduct it, and that is why we need to amend our constitution.”

On the bring back our girls campaign, Mohammed, who spoke hours before the reported deal between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram sect for the release of the girls broke, said that the APC as a party believes strongly that the President owes the nation a duty “to secure our lives and property. And for as long as those girls are missing, we as individuals or as a party will continue to demand that Mr President does everything to make sure the girls are released.

“I think he’s trying to cause a distraction. The issue of bring back our girls is not about who is a member but is it right or wrong. I commend those who have been part of the campaign in the last six months. And if any member of APC is a member of that group, we commend them

“I have made it clear, we have never said in our press conference that we have evidence that Mr President is keeping a secret from us. But we have cited three instances that Mr President needs to come out and explain to Nigerians, that it took a whole 19 days for him to even believe that the girls were kidnapped.

“Secondly, about four months ago, the CDS told the whole world that we know where the girls are; and thirdly, on 23rd September in New York, we woke up to see a tweet from the Ministry of Defence that the release of these girls were imminent.

“We saw people in a hotel in Manhattan, New York who were already wearing pro-Jonathan vests who were trying to welcome these girls, and we know for a fact that he booked press conferences with major networks to announce the release. So, this is surprising. We are asking him if he truly knows where these girls are. He should not use them as pawns for his political re-election.”

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, has laid to rest speculations that the party has subtly endorsed the candidacy of former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as its flagbearer in the 2015 presidential election.

A high powered delegation from the national secretariat of the party and several leaders of the party across the country attended the formal declaration of intention to contest for the party’s sole ticket by Gen. Buhari, fueling speculations that the party might have subtly endorsed his candidacy.

But the Chairman told reporters at the party secretariat that nobody should read meaning into the presence of several party leaders at the event, pointing out that it does not translate to the party endorsing the candidacy of the former Head of State.

Asked if the presence of the party’s leaders did not mean a subtle endorsement, he said: “It does not necessarily equate to that. I think the General was extremely well advised. He is extremely humble for a man of his age and his attainment.

“He went personally to each of those people who were there, the people you are thinking of, and delivered the invitation personally, and so, out of respect for his humility, out of respect for his age and what he has been, they felt obliged to go and I think that it is a very good thing. That does not translate to endorsement. It may still be, but for now, don’t read too much meaning to it.”