Why APC Convention May Not Hold In February-INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its planned national convention which is expected to hold on February 26, 2021. Legit.ng reports that the party is expected to notify INEC within 21 days but the ruling party is yet to do so even as the deadline for the notification elapses in three days. Confirming the development, the INEC national commissioner for voter education and publicity, Festus Okoye, said they were yet to receive any notification regarding the convention.

He said:“The commission has not been notified of any convention.” All political parties, according to the electoral act are mandated to notify INEC of any planned convention 21 days before the ‘gathering’. With the unfolding development, the APC appears to only have till February 5, to submit its notification or the convention is put off. APC has recently been involved in internal squabbles over the party’s convention. Earlier the party had suspended its planned convention as the national convention was scheduled to take place in February. But it was reported that due to the deep crisis, some governors were accused of hijacking plans for the national convention. But the party leadership responded quickly, saying the report should be disregarded as the convention would hold in February. After the denial, it went ahead to announce the timetable and schedule of activities for the national convention of the party.

The schedule of activities was adopted in Abuja on Wednesday, January 19, at APC’s 19th regular meeting which was held at its party’s national secretariat. Apart from the crisis at the national level of the party, states are facing serious crises. Some of the affected states are Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Zamfara, Delta, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, and Benue. The party is said to have been factionalized in the aforementioned states. It would be recalled that following the controversy surrounding the party’s convention, the director-general of the progressives governors’ forum, Salihu Lukman, tendered his resignation letter on Monday, January 17. His resignation came immediately after the progressives governors met.