As momentum builds towards the much anticipated national convention of the All Progressive Congress (APC) there are indications that the party may be in for a stormy gathering when it is convened in April, EMAMEH GABRIEL writes.fter failing to conduct its national convention in a two-year interval as required by its constitution, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, recently announced plans to convene its national convention not later than April 2017.But he declared that plans to amend the partys constitution, which would have set new guidelines for subsequent conventions and operation of the partys apparatus, have been shelved.The APC national convention was hitherto due for November 2016 but it could not hold. Party handlers said the date was ill-timed. For APC, this would be its first convention since it won the presidential election in 2015.The national publicity secretary of the party, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, had said the decision on the convention was part of the outcomes of the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting presided over by the partys national chairman. He revealed then that the processes would commence with the congress to fill vacancies in the state party structures across the country.The vacancies to be filled, according to him, occurred principally from political appointments, deaths and resignations, adding that it would be followed closely by another congress to nominate delegates into the mid-term non-elective convention of the party before the convention proper.Underscoring the import of the meeting, Odigie-Oyegun after a meeting of party stakeholders over the planned convention said, This meeting is just one of the series of meetings we are holding in the run off to the non elective national convention. We have held consultation with our leadership in the senate, in the House of Representatives. We are going to hold consultation with the ministers as part of the preparation for the national convention, which is a mandatory requirement.It is a mandatory mid term non-elective convention and the purpose is to allow us as a party and as government to sit down and see how far we have gone, what we have done right, access ourselves by bringing our leaders from all over the country to sit us once every two years and exchange ideas and listen to the achievement of their government.There are lots of things that must happen in preparation towards our non-elective convention which the states must be actively involved. We are going to have state congresses, ward congresses and fill vacancies. We will take the opportunity to feel every single vacancy at all levels of the party arising from death, appointment and others. We are also required to elect three delegates who will participate in the forth coming convention.However, the announcement had come amid endless internal battle for political relevance amongst big wigs of the party as situated in the struggle for the partys structure. This subtle battle had sparked calls for restructuring of the leadership of the party at the close of 2016.The national chairman, had been lashed at by his critics within and outside the party for his inability to conduct a national convention at the stipulated time, which according to his accusers, was in violation of an important provision of the partys constitution.Article 25 (A) (i) of the APC constitution stipulates that the National Convention of the Party shall be held once in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission and at least a fourteen day notice given to members eligible to attend.It was clear that some APC leaders have not been comfortable with decisions of the leadership of the party under the watch of Odigie-Oyegun, such that it led to a friction between him and the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.The proposed and postponed constitutional amendment of the party by the national chairman believed to be in line with the partys tradition had raised eyebrows in some quarters as to why the sudden change of such critical decision which ordinarily would strengthen the party.Leadership of the party had earlier noted that the proposed constitutional amendment will check internal opposition, usher in a reconstituted Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as deal with rebellious members of the party and even go as far downsizing the numbers of BoT members.Odigie-Oyegun had set up a 10-man constitutional review committee to be headed by the partys national legal adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire. The national chairman had at the inauguration said it was the very first because of its importance of the activities in the lead-up to the non-elective national convention which, we hope, will take place within the next couple of months.Events in the last few months have made me read, very carefully, the provisions that we have, and to my mind, they are so weighted in favour of the problem people within the party that it becomes extremely difficult to institute disciplinary procedures.I want you to take a very close look at that to make it possible for those who dont wish the party well but dwell within the party to be speedily neutralized while the details of the cases are being looked into.More so he said the exercise was to trim down the size of the BoT to make the body more effective.Some of you will recall that at the last meeting of the National Executive Council, decisions were taken that necessitated a review of aspects of the constitution of the party, particularly with respect to a rejigged, so to speak, Board of Trustees, with new thoughts like the kind, size and structure of the BoT that this party should have. And so that is the principal trigger for the constitutional review.I will expect that at the end of the exercise, we will have a leaner, trimmer and more focused board, in terms of objectives of the partys BoT or by whatever name you may recommend that it should be called, he said.Odigie-Oyegun continued We will also look at our membership requirement, especially given our experiences in the last few months, the provisions for discipline within the party.We may also urge you to take advantage of the opportunity to look at other aspects of the constitution we have operated now for almost three years, at the very least, with a view to really cementing the processes and provision for permanently institutionalizing internal democracy as a focus for this party because experience has shown.But against this novel decision, the national chairman made a U-turn recently when he announced that the party had suspended the moves to amend its constitution during the convention. The implication is that the APC would in another two years operate on its old rules that could make it vulnerable to take critical decisions.The reversal by the chairman had sparked insinuations that he was cowed to drop the proposed constitutional amendment due to pressure from aggrieved party stakeholders who have persistently accused the national chairman of plotting to highjack the party structure. They said it was an attempt to sideline interested party out of the partys decision making body.The suspended deputy national publicity secretary of the party, Mr Timi Frank, had in January this year accused the national chairman of a plotting to use the amendment of the partys constitution to fight some members of the party, who are opposed to his leadership style.He said it was a grand plot against the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, myself and other leaders who oppose his leadership style, adding that Odigie-Oyegun was doing everything possible to justify his plans to push out some prominent members of the party.Frank maintained that Odigie-Oyegun had no moral grounds to lead the party after breaching the same constitution more than any other person. His leadership has breached party constitution several times, even as regards the National Convention which the party law states clearly that it must be held every two years.Odigie-Oyegun is talking about indiscipline when there are several allegations of favouritism yet unanswered hanging on his neck, he added.Some observers had averred that the move by the national chairman to conduct a non-elective mid-term national convention was a smart way to maintain the status quo in the national leadership as his NWC is also taking measures to curb the excesses of those regarded as troublesome members of the party.He had however rubbished insinuations, maintaining that the review exercise is meant to update the constitution of the party and bring it in tune with current realities, adding that it was done in good fate given the fact that the party had operated for almost three years and there is need to breath fresh air into it.Another issue that has become touchy ahead of the convention was the status of the Board of Trustees (BoT). It was believed that plans to replace the BoT with the Council of Elders, was a decision initiated to stall the much-anticipated election of the BoT chairman, deputy chairman and secretary.LEADERSHIP Sunday also gathered that the decision to trim down the BoT was necessitated by the current lager membership of the board, which is currently put at 150. It was assumed that the board, if not reduced, could become over bloated in a few years. This they said could weaken its structure such that it would become difficult to manage.Much more was the BoT were already getting heated up over the choice of either former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who were reportedly angling to head the organ of the party.More so, the party would have to address the crisis rocking some of its state chapters, with a view to finding an effective conflict resolution mechanism that would stem the tide of internal dissension and resolve existing issues ahead of the convention.Nonetheless, it is clear that all conflicting interests are centered around 2019 presidential election with power brokers trying to carve out political empires within the party to create better chances for themselves and their supporters.Clearly, with the crisis of confidence and political intrigues going on, it is being speculated that the ruling APC may be in for a turbulent national convention, if they dont put their house in order.It has been alleged that part of the concerns is that those already trying to throw the towel into the ring for the partys presidential ticket would make do of the convention not just as a stage to put their wit and political sagacity on the scale but also an avenue to plant their loyalties and allies in the leadership structure of the party to pave ways for their ambitions.Whoever plays his card well in the weeks to come, will definitely have a strong foothold as the 2019 race evolves.
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