From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The confusion surrounding the February date for the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has split governors and party stakeholders.
Daily Sun gathered that to resolve the impasse over whether the party’s national convention should hold in February or not, governors under the umbrella of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) are scheduled to meet in Abuja on Sunday, January 9, and thereafter meet party stakeholders before meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
A source said the meeting of the PGF is “expected to settle for a feasible date for the national convention.”
The source said though the proposed February convention has divided both the governors and party leaders, pending issue surrounding the convention date would be resolved after the meeting of the governors.
“The governors that could not meet last weekend to take a final decision on the convention date due to the Yuletide, will, however, meet this weekend to propose a tentative date to be ratified by the president.
“It is true that the possibility of holding the convention in February has sharply divided both the governors and the party leaders, but I can confirm to you that the confusion will be rested this weekend when the Progressive Governors meet in Abuja. You know the meeting was to hold last weekend, but the governors could not meet because of festive activities. They have rescheduled the meeting this weekend and it comes up most likely on Sunday.
“After the meeting, they will come up with a proposed date and take it to President Buhari for ratification. APC doesn’t have many problems like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Nigerians want to think. We can always resolve whatever differences or challenges we have before they escalate. From all indications, the February convention will hold,” the party chief said.
On the possibility of the convention holding in February when the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had not set up zoning committee, the official said most of the party’s leadership positions had been zoned already.
“There is no need for setting up any zoning committee because we have concluded almost all the zonings and only waiting for the ratification from relevant authorities. I can also confirm to you, on good authority, that two key positions, the National Chairman and the National Secretary, have been zoned. While the chairmanship position has been zoned to the North Central, the National Secretary will go to the South East. In fact, the convention will more or less be based on consensus arrangement. There may be only two national leadership positions that will be contested during the Convention. So, wait and see events unfold after the meeting of the governors this weekend.”
