Daily Post has reported that all may not be well with the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the moment as four of the presidential aspirants of the party comprising: Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rochas Okorocha and Sam Nda- Isaiah have petitioned the national leadership of the party, questioning the rationale behind the choice of Lagos for the December 11 APC National Convention.
The four had met last week to review development in the party and the direction at which the party’s National Convention is headed. From the meeting, it was learnt that the aspirants feel that the choice of Lagos was to give Buhari an edge over other aspirants. They also kicked against the list of delegates from Lagos State.
Buhari was the only one out of the aspirants who refused to sign the petition. His co-contenders for the party’s ticket stipulated conditions on the way forward, the first of which was that any list of delegates from non-constitutionally recognized councils should be rejected.
The second was that the national convention of the party scheduled for December 10 and 11 be held in Benin City against Lagos or in the alternative, the date should be brought forward to the original date of December 7 and 8, and hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
According to New Telegraph, the petition was submitted to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, on Saturday at his Asokoro, Abuja residence. Odigie-Oyegun confirmed the receipt of the petition when the newspaper sought his view on the issue last night.
The party leadership, said to be worried by the dispositions of the aspirants, scheduled an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) for 7pm yesterday and another meeting for 9am today. From last night’s meeting, an informed source revealed that the party leadership has succumbed to the wishes of the presidential aspirants by moving the national convention to Benin City still on December 10 and 11.
According to the national chairman, the party would do everything possible to satisfy the presidential aspirants, stressing that, “We want to make sure that they are thoroughly satisfied in every way so that they would be satisfied at the convention. They have their representatives who were nominated into the Convention Planning Committee. We want to do everything to ensure that they are totally satisfied with the fairness and transparency of the convention. They said they are not happy with Lagos and we have moved to Benin, Daily Post reported.
Photo credit: Daily Post