Group threatens nationwide protest over APC national convention

 A pressure group, the Concerned APC Members, has vowed to embark on nationwide protest on Monday if the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CENCPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fails to roll out time table for the December National Convention of the party.

The group, on October 12, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Caretaker Committee to announce time table for the convention in line with directive of the 25th June emergency National Executive Committee meeting.

But Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, dismissed the threat of the group, accusing it of being insincere despite efforts by the party leadership to listen to their complaints.

But leader of the group, Alhaji Abdullahi Dauda, told The Nation the ultimatum was extended by one week following assurances by Nabena the time table was ready.

The Nation reports the 25th June emergency NEC meeting inaugurated the Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee with a mandate to reconcile all aggrieved members and conduct a national convention for emergence of a new National Working Committee (NEC) to replace the Adams Oshiomole led dissolved Committee.

Four months into the tenure of the Caretaker Committee, the Concerned APC group accused the CENCPC of scheming for tenure elongation following its refusal to announce a time table for the convention.

The group then imposed a 14-day ultimatum on the party leadership on 12th October which lapsed on Monday, the 26th of October.

According to Dauda, a chieftain of the party from Bauchi, “it is true we gave 14 days ultimatum and at its expiration the leadership of the party through the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena in a newspaper report (The Nation) on the 27th October apologised and said that the time table for the conduct of the national convention was ready.

“As loyal party members, based on the words of the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, we agreed to give the party leadership one week to enable us study the time table. We gave this extension because we have confidence in the integrity of the party leadership.

“But if by the end of the one week extension, which is Monday 3rd of November, we shall have no alternative than to go on our protest by Monday.

“We have moblised our people across the country. We have been patriotic enough by extending the ultimatum. The Caretaker Committee should be held responsible for the protest.”

When told the Forum of APC state chairmen recently passed a vote on confidence on the Committee with a promise to extend the 6 months tenure of the Buni led Committee, Dauda said: “These chairmen have to such powers. It was President Muhammadu Buhari through the NEC that appointed the Caretaker Committee and that is the only organ that can say otherwise.”

Reacting to Monday’s protest threat, Nabena denied statin the time table was ready, insisting that he never had such discussion with anybody.

“This group is not sincere. I never told anybody of any time table, all I said was that any aggrieved member should come forward with their grievances. The Governor Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee in keeping with its mandate is prepared to attend to any aggrieved members.

“This people refused to show up. How can’t we be dealing with faceless people? Let them come to the party secretariat and we shall discuss with them. We cannot be discussing party matters and be issuing ultimatum on the pages of newspapers.”

Finally, Nnamdi Kanu agrees to drop Biafra agitation

* Gives only one condition

 

By Steve Oko

 

Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has finally agreed to drop the agitation for Biafran sovereignty.

Kanu who made the promise Thursday night in a live interview with a veteran journalist and publisher of the popular Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, however, gave only one condition on which to base the action.

The IPOB Leader simply said that if only President Muhamnadu Buhari whom he claimed and insisted was cloned could fluently address 20 select Nigeria youths in Fulfude native language of the President, he would then, apologize for spreading lies against the President, give up Biafra agitation and surrender himself for prosecution.

He added that he would no longer talk about Biafra if the President could engage some Nigeria youths  in live interactive session, fielding questions from them and giving satisfactory answers instead of addressing a nation of over 200 million people in 12 minutes pre-recorded video.