The Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from all indication has trashed the Chief Bisi Akande-led APC National Reconciliation Committee. Punch report that the leadership of the progressive has opted for a smaller committee for speedy action. According to the report, the Buni-led committee has commenced compiling a list of deviant party members who have refused to withdraw court cases against the party and its members as directed by President Buhari during the June 25th committee meeting for onwards expulsion from the party.
During the June 25th NEC meeting, Buhari directed all party members with pending cases in court to immediately withdraw them in favor of reconciliation. Subsequently, the party reminded all state chapters of the party to act in compliance with the Buhari directive. Accordingly, there are some deviant members who have chosen to ignore President Buhari's directive of withdrawing the said court cases and are still pursuing them.
Consequently, the Governor Buni-lead Caretaker Committee have penciled such deviant members for total expulsion from the party if they fail to comply before the final decision is taken on them.
Recall the recent National Working Committee of the party under Adams Oshiomhole, had during February 2020, set up Akande-led panel to resolve crises within the party especially in Ogun, Edo, Imo Zamfara, Rivers and Bauchi states so that they could move forward.
Just before the Coronavirus lockdown, the committee revealed it had received 170 petitions from aggrieved members of various states.
The petitions the committee never had the opportunity to deliberate upon. However, the source from the party revealed the party decided to make U-turn and opted for smaller leadership because of the time frame they have to complete the task.
The source said, “You know the Akande-led panel has yet to start its assignment and the new caretaker committee started its six-month tenure in June. Even, if the interim committee gets a tenure extension, the Akande committee cannot complete its reconciliation because it has to go to all parts of the country. We don’t have that luxury of time.”
With the inauguration of the Buni-led caretaker committee, it has further spitted the committee into smaller units with specific states to hasten the assignment.
Accordingly, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, is to reconcile aggrieved members in Edo State. The second one is headed by the governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, to reconcile aggrieved party members in Ondo State.
Another one is a five-member committee chaired by the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, to reconcile aggrieved members in Ogun and Imo states. However, Attempts to get a reaction from the Secretary and spokesman for the Akande-led panel, Senator John Enoh, was not possible.
In reaction, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yemiki Nabena disclosed, “At this point in the APC, we have a new structure; that is why you can see that even in Edo, we have a reconciliation committee in Ondo. We also have a reconciliation committee headed by the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello. They are still working to get people together.”
Consequently, it was further revealed that the committee is considering invoking provisions of Article (D)V of the party’s constitution on them. As at present, it was learned that the Buni committee has already written two letters to all states chapters to ensure compliance, the third maybe call for action.
