The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, James Akpanudoedehe, on Tuesday returned to the National Secretariat of the party, accompanied by allies and armed security personnel.

His return to the secretariat comes days after Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello stormed the Secretariat with some APC governors and announced that he was the acting National Chairman of the CECPC of the party, a move believed to mean the ousting of Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State as the Chairman of the Committee.

After resuming at the secretariat, Akpanudoedehe issued a statement insisting the party remains united and strong and that Governor Buni remains in charge with the committee working to ensure the party’s National Convention holds on March 26.

Last Monday, reports emerged that Buni had been sacked, while Akpanudoedehe was no longer the CECPC secretary.

However, a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, by the APC Director of Publicity, Salisu Dambatta, stressed that Akpanudoedehe never sent a resignation letter to the party, neither was Buni sacked.

“All those are utterly false,” he said in the statement to clarify the controversy on the office of the party’s CECPC secretary.

Following the reports that Governor Buni had been sacked as chairman of the CECPC, Governor Bello subsequently took over as the party’s acting chairman.

Read Akpanudoedehe’s full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE BY THE CARETAKER/ EXTRAORDINARY CONVENTION PLANNING COMMITTEE (CECPC) OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) ON RECENT EVENTS AND THE STATE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE PARTY

Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press,

The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, makes this Press Release to clarify the events of last week and reassure the membership and stakeholders of the Party, as well as the Nigerian people in general, that the Governing Party is crisis-free, strong and remains united in giving the country the transformative leadership and good governance which she promised them.

The CECPC, therefore, informs the Press and the General Public as follows:

1. That the CECPC was appointed, and has always done her best, to steer the affairs of the APC in line with the mandate invested in her at inauguration by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress.

2. That on the 28th day of February, 2022, the CECPC Chairman took a long-delayed trip abroad on health grounds, leaving behind written authorisation for other members of the CECPC to continue work in his absence, particularly the day to day management of the APC.

3. That in his absence, sundry activities earlier scheduled for action appeared to develop fresh urgency in order to satisfy the Timetable for the 2023 General Elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus galvanizing some within the CECPC to act in their best understanding of both the situation and the leadership dynamics in the Committee/Party.

4. That all such actions were clearly identified at all times as happening in an acting or proxy capacity, and under the auspices of the substantive Chairman, His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, contrary to widespread speculations that the Chairman, Secretary or some other officials of the CECPC have been removed from Office or otherwise replaced.

5. That the CECPC is intact and functional as originally constituted.

6. That delivering a seamlessly successful National Convention for the APC on March 26, 2022 is top on priority for the CECPC and we shall continue to execute such assignments as are legal pending the return of the Chairman who is on his way back to the country and shall resume Office on arrival with the full support of all members and other stakeholders.

We are grateful to INEC for her firm guidance in the entire circumstances.

Meanwhile, the party has engaged a team of senior lawyers to address a purported court order halting the planned APC National Convention. We hereby call on the Judiciary to give the matter the needed and expedient attention in our bid to vacate the purported Court order and allow for the conduct of a transparent and rancour-free National Convention deserving of our great party, APC.

The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) hereby restates absolute loyalty to the APC, thanks the National Organs and leadership of our Party led by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and reassures our members and citizens that the Party is stronger than ever before and poised to extend her winning streak since 2015 into 2023 and beyond.

Ladies and gentlemen of the 4th Estate of the Realm, we thank you.

SIGNED:
Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe Ph.D
National Secretary
APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee
15th March, 2022

•Text, excluding headline, courtesy of Channels TV.

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