The South-South Emerging Leaders’ Forum (SELF) has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against electing aspirants indicted for financial crimes, as its leaders in the Feb. 26 national convention.
Mr Preye Wilson, National Coordinator, SELF, gave the advice in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, while reacting to a media report titled: “APC faces integrity test, five chairmanship aspirants on EFCC radar”.
It has earlier been reported that new National Working Committee (NWC) members are expected to be elected at the party’s National Convention to manage its affairs.
The APC is presently under the leadership of Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Wilson, however, said that the APC does not need a national chairman that would be visiting offices of anti-corruption agencies to explain his past financial dealings, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said it was time the party deviate from the practice of electing former governors as its national chairman.
He cautioned that electing indicted chairmanship aspirants as APC National Chairman, would create room for blackmail by opposition parties.
Wilson while admitting that all Nigerians were free to contest the APC national chairmamship position, said the party does not need the distractions that would come with a chairman having an anti corruption case hanging on him.
He, therefore, charged the party’s leadership to properly investigate the aspirants ahead of the the national convention.
He, however, urged the party’s delegates and leaders at all levels to consider Sen. Mohammed Musa’s integrity, track records, firmness and simplicity among those in the APC national Chairmanship race.
“For us in the South-South Emerging Leaders’ Forum, we believe that the best way the ruling party can continue to discourage corruption as clearly stated in the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari is to elect a new national chairman that’s free of EFCC or ICPC cases.
“We also note that since the successful merger process that produced the APC, former governors have had enough time.
“From our father former governor of Osun State Chief Bisi Akande, who was succeeded by another former governor of Edo State Chief John Odigie Oyegun and later to another former governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole.
“We feel it is time to try a Senator and a competent hand at that, we therefore appeal to APC leaders at all levels to support the aspiration of Sen. Mohammed Musa from Niger to emerge as the next national chairman of APC,” he said.
Wilson assured that the APC and its leadership would not regret having Musa as its next national chairman.
He said SELF had taken its time to investigate all the aspirants and had listened to them at various platforms and had also read about their plans for the party.
He added that the group had therefore come to a conclusion that Musa who represented Niger East District at the National Assembly was the best choice to lead the party, ahead of 2023.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress has said it will begin the sale of forms for aspirants vying for its national positions ahead of the National Convention from February 14.
National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, announced this in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said, “The APC CECPC at its 19th regular meeting on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at the party’s National Secretariat considered and adopted the timetable/schedule of activities for the February 26, APC National Convention.”
According to him, the schedule of activities ahead of the party’s national convention is as seen below:
“Receiving of the interim report of the National Reconciliation Committee, January 31, 2022.
“Consideration and adoption of Reports of State Congresses – February 2, 2022.
“Inauguration of the State Executives – February 03, 2022.
“Sale of forms to all aspirants vying for National Offices at the APC National Secretariat, February 14, 2022.
“Submission of completed forms and accompanying documents at the APC National Secretariat on or before February 19, 2022.
“Publication of Sub-Committees – February 19, 2022.
“Screening of all aspirants vying for National Offices – February 20 – February 22.
“Screening Appeals to hear and resolve complaints arising from the screening exercise – February 23, 2022.
“Accreditation of all statutory and elected delegates to the National Convention – February 24 to February 25, 2022.
“National Convention to elect National Officers to the National Executive Committee – February 26, 2022.
“National Convention Appeal to hear and resolve complaints arising from the National Convention – February 28, 2022.”
The APC scribe, at an interaction with newsmen at the party’s National Secretariat, had earlier described as fake, reports that the party’s leadership had zoned its national chairmanship position to a particular zone.
Akpankudohede said the report should be disregarded, adding that there was no decision on that.
New national executives are expected to be elected at the party’s National Convention to manage its affairs which are presently being managed by Governor Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC.
