From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, has directed the newly inaugurated State Caretaker Committee to provide the needed leadership and guidance for a successful membership registration exercise in their states.
Chairman APC Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni, who gave the charge while inaugurating the State Caretaker Committee at the party’s secretariat in Abuja on Friday, equally urged them to take all necessary steps to forward recommendations for constitutional amendment to help strengthen the party rules.
Represented by the Caretaker Committee Secretary, James Akpanudoedehe, the party also directed the state Caretaker Committee to inaugurate the respective Local Governments and Wards Caretaker Committees within the next one week.
“I am delighted to welcome you to this meeting, which is convened to further clarify on decisions of the National Executive Committee of our great party at its meeting of Tuesday December 8, 2020. Although you were all at the meeting, it is necessary to meet with all of you to explain the details of the decisions in order to ensure uniform implementation in all our States, Local Governments and Wards.
“You will recall that one of the decisions of NEC was the dissolution of all organs of the party and inviting members of the dissolved organs to serve as Caretaker Committee for the intervening period between now and the Congresses that will elect new leaders to pilot activities of the party for the next four years in line with the provisions of our Party’s Constitution.
“Having been part of the deliberations and therefore been part of the decision, you have once again demonstrated your strong commitment to the growth of our party.
“At this particular difficult period in the formative life of our great party, I want to, on behalf of all our leaders, and in particular, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, thank you, individually and collectively, most sincerely for this remarkable selfless disposition.
“Your sacrifice is a challenge to all of us to ensure that every necessary decision required to strengthen the structures of our party are taken and our party’s electoral advantages are fully restored.
“Without further delay, having dissolved all our structures, including the State Executive Committee, we know that nature abhors vacuum. Therefore, on behalf of the National Chairman CECPC, Governor Mai Mala Buni, it is my pleasure to inaugurate you as respective Chairmen of the State Caretaker Committees.
“This means that members of the former State Executive Committee will be members of the Caretaker Committee. In this capacity, you are expected to facilitate all the required consultations with all the leaders and stakeholders of the party in the state to ensure smooth transition.
“In addition, you are hereby mandated to, in a similar way, inaugurate the respective Caretaker Committees of Local Governments and Wards within the next one week. As part of the transitional activities, you are already aware of the decision to commence membership registration/revalidation. You will be required as State Caretaker Committee members to provide the needed leadership and guidance for a successful exercise in line with all the guidelines that is provided.
“Apart from the issue of membership registration, there are the outstanding issues of constitutional amendment. This is a matter that is as important as reconstitution of leadership, if not more important. I believe that our capacity to strengthen our rules through constitutional amendment will help us to put all the problems that led to the crisis that brought us to this point behind us.
“I will therefore invite you to take all the necessary steps to forward recommendations that will enable us to strengthen our rules. I therefore once again, thank you very much for your sacrifices, commitment and loyalty to the party. Together, we shall build a progressively democratic party in line with the vision and aspiration of President Buhari and all our founding fathers.
“Please accept the best wishes of the National Chairman, CECPC Mai Mala Buni even as I urge us all to continue to contribute our quota to develop our democracy and build our country, Nigeria,” the statement read.
