Fresh crisis rocks APC over choice of Bulama as scribe, others

A fresh is rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the opposition of the Deputy National Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, to the appointment of Waziri Bulama as the party’s acting national secretary.

In a statement yesterday entitled “APC and its future, let us exercise caution”, Shuaibu also faulted the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Executive Committee (NEC) for “unilaterally constituting the screening and selection committees for the Edo and Ondo state governorship primaries of the party in breach of the party constitution.”

He regretted that the “APC, founded on the principles of constitutionalism and rule of law, is now subject of arbitrary administration without regard for the dictates of the law.”

The Zamfara-born politician maintained that the power to set up standing or ad hoc committees of the party “is vested in the same NEC which ought to meet every three months as the main decision-making organ after the convention.”

He, therefore, called on APC leaders to “urgently intervene to ensure the provisions of the party constitution are adhered to and not further compromised.”

Shuaibu went on: “The ruling party, which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law, is now the nest of lawlessness. The entire legal framework governing the party administration in Nigeria today – the Nigerian constitution, the party constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC regulations and guidelines – are more honoured by the party in the breach.”

Besides, 18 political parties yesterday indicated readiness for the Edo governorship contest holding September 19 this year.

The state office of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) equally expressed preparedness, ruling out postponement of the exercise.

The INEC Public Relations Officer in Edo, Mrs. Tina Obamogie, said with the guidelines in place, there were other areas of interface with political parties to fine-tune strategies for hitch-free primaries.

In his remarks, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Pastor Joseph Osagiede, while pointing out that the ruling party had three methods of primaries, added the chapter would defer to the indirect mode ratified by the party’s NEC to pick its governorship candidate.

His PDP counterpart, Chris Nehikhare, said amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the party was working out modalities for a hitch-free primary.

Consequently, collection of forms at the INEC headquarters commences on June 16 while conduct of primaries and resolution disputes hold July 6, while campaigns begin July 21.

Meanwhile, the APC has announced June 22 and July 20 for its primaries in Edo and Ondo states. The election proper holds on September 19 and October 10, according to the electoral umpire.

In the words of the National Organising Secretary, Emma Ibediro, nomination and expression of interest forms go for N22.5 million.