APC names secretariat after Buhari, President approves timetable for Congresses

 

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has named its party national secretariat after President Muhammadu Buhari. It will now be known as Buhari House.

Senator John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

Akpanudoedehe also informed that President Buhari had approved the review of the timeline for the APC CECPC as well as the timetable for the party’s Ward, Local Government and State Congresses.

He said the president granted the approval after considering the progress report on outstanding activities with regard to congresses, the national convention and the Anambra governorship election.

The National Secretary said the President gave the approval following the presentation of the committee’s progress report by the CECPC National Chairman and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe at the State House, Abuja, on Friday.

According to Akpanudoedehe, the party’s ward congresses will hold on July 24 to be followed by local government congresses on Aug. 14 and state congresses on Sept.18.

He said the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) conferred on the CECPC the power to organise a National Convention for the party at its last meeting, adding that it was in line with the powers provided in Article 13.3 of the party’s Constitution.

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“The National Chairman has the president’s approval to review the timeline available to the CECPC,” Akpanudoedehe said.

“I am pleased to state that the party is now more peaceful, more accommodating, and more united with greater prospects than when we came on board.

“On the hugely successful and record setting membership registration, revalidation and register update exercise.

“As part of measures to reposition the party, the committee found it expedient to establish the numerical strength of the party as provided by its Constitution,” he said, stating that this would help strengthen the party’s planning processes for congresses, conventions and general elections.

He added that with the successful completion of the exercise, the party now has over 40 million members who either registered as new members or revalidated their membership.

Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buni, while presenting his committee’s report, told the President that liability of unpaid legal fees to the tune of N340 million inherited by the CECPC was successfully negotiated and brought down to N179 million which had been fully paid.

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He added that with respect to court cases bordering on the legitimacy of the committee and election related matters, the committee was able to secure a judgment affirming its legality.

The CECPC, he said, had concluded payment of the outstanding balance and had taken over the ownership of the building housing the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

“I also have the honour to inform you that in recognition of the untiring leadership role you have provided to our great party and the nation, and the democratic legacy you have put in place. The CECPC has approved the naming of the National Secretariat of the party after you. The secretariat will henceforth be known as Buhari House,” he was said to have told the President.

He said the committee had been cautious in making arrangements towards conduct of credible, transparent, flawless and generally acceptable congresses and convention for the party, adding that this was critical to produce a strong leadership that would enjoy the support, trust and confidence of all party members.

Buni stressed that the support for conduct of a credible election could not be over emphasised as it would justify the successes recorded and the status of the desired new APC.

He expressed appreciation to Buhari and the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for the confidence reposed on the CECPC.