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President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors can decide the date of the February convention and zoning of the NWC offices at the meeting.
Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), will on Sunday meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the proposed national convention of the party.
The meeting is exected to hold at the State House, Abuja.
Although the party has fixed February for the convention, it is yet to select a date for the event thereby provoking concerns among party faithful that it may be postponed.
Similarly, the ruling party is yet to resolve the issue of where the positions in the National Working Committee (NWC), particularly that of the national chairman, should be zoned to.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau, who doubles as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, confirmed that Sunday’s meeting will address these concerns.
He spoke to journalists after a meeting with Mr Buhari at the State House on Friday.
“You know, when a convention is coming, there are fears here and there; some people will tell you it will work, some will say it will not work.
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but the visit to the president has already assured us and you know that there is already a notice that all the governors are meeting on Sunday. By Sunday we will tell you when we are having the convention,” Mr Lalong said.
No fewer than 10 members of the APC have already indicated their interest in contesting for the position of the national chairman
They include former Nasarawa State governor and current senator, Tanko Al-Makura, former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, former Benue State governor and current Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, Niger North senator, Sani Musa and former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.
They aspirants are from different geopolitical zones of the country.
it is not clear who among the aspirants Mr Buhari would support for the position, especially because the zoning of the chairmanship position may likely determine where the party’s presidential candidate will be picked from.
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Thursday, gave the impression that he had been under pressure to throw his weight behind one of those jostling to lead the party.
He said his party, the APC, may lose its chances of retaining power in 2023 if the underlying issues around the convention were not resolved.
The president specifically said the governors should allow things to work in the party.
“The governors should allow the system to work. I am not a kingmaker. I have tried to get my position known that party leadership needs a bottom to top approach.
“Those who want power must work for it. If the APC can’t agree on the convention, the opposition will naturally take over,” Mr Buhari said during the interview.
Of the 36 state governors in the country, 22 are members of the APC, many of whom are expected to attend the crucial meeting.
The party is being administered at the national level by a caretaker committee appointed in June 2020 after the exit of the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC.
The committee, headed by Governor Mala Buni of Yobe State, was constituted not only to run the party but to also organise a national convention to elect new officers of the party.
Mala Buni [PHOTO CREDIT: @OfficialAPCNg]
The life of the committee has been extended several times.
Some members of the ruling party have challenged the legality of the committee, especially that of its chairman, who they argued should not occupy the position since he is holding an executive position as governor.
However, whether the APC leaders eventually make their decision concerning the convention public tomorrow or not, the party has till February 9 to notify the country’s electoral body, INEC, of its intention to organise the event.
This is in line with Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act, which mandates all politics parties Nigeria to give the commission at least 21 days notice before holding a convention.
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