The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it would stay away from the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC slated for next Thursday next week.
INEC’ in a correspondence letter dated March 9, 2022, explained that the decision was based on non-compliance to the electoral amendment Act 2022.
The correspondence addressed to the CECPC National Chairman, signed by its secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony observed that it was absurd that the letter inviting INEC to monitor the exercise did not contain the signatures of Buni and the caretaker secretary of the party, Sen John Akpanudoedehe.
It reads” “Please refer to your letter Ref. APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/022/32, dated 8th March 2022.
“The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018).
“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of the provision in Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which requires ‘at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective offices.’
“While hoping these issues are noted for compliance, please accept the assurance of the Commission’s warm regards”.
The easiest way out of the legal quagmire was to get Gov. Buni to come back, ask him to convene a NEC meeting and then remove him and adopt Gov. Bello.
“But the fear is whether Buni will actually call for a NEC meeting if he is allowed to take charge of the CECPC now,” a source said.
“Unfortunately, the party is in a fix because you cannot invoke any doctrine of necessity on this issue and time is running. Article 25 (B) 1 of our constitution states that ‘the National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-thirds of the members of the National Executive Committee provided that not less than fourteen (14) days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.”
Governor Abubakar Bello who had been acting as caretaker chairman of the party since Monday this week had sought to convene an emergency NEC aimed among others to ratify the sack of Buni as Chairman of the caretaker committee just as Akpanudoedehe is believed to have been sidelined from the affairs of the party since Tuesday.
