APC fixes state congresses for October 2

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee has announced October 2 as the date for the conduct of State Congresses to put in place substantive executive in its state chapters.

National Secretary, APCECPC, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe made the disclosure in a statement on Monday.

The statement further disclosed that sale of forms will begin on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, ahead of the exercise.

It was however silent on modalities and guidelines for the exercise.

It would be recalled that the party had since concluded conduct of ward and local government Congresses.

Further investigation revealed that there has been no pronouncements on the composition of local government congress Appeal Panels, despite the crises that trailed the exercise in few states where factions conducted parallel congresses.

Speaking with newsmen last week, Senator John Akpanudoedehe however maintained that the National Secretariat of the party would not accord recognition to parallel congresses as there was no provision for such in the party Constitution and guidelines for the exercise.

According to him, “As far as APC is concerned, we are very structured. We put up a committee and the committee has gone out to conduct the congresses. The next step will be an appeal and anyone with issues will go to the appeal and if you are not satisfied with the appeal the caretaker committee will handle it. That is our structure.

“You know that the supervising institution of a political party is INEC. We will write to INEC and by the rule of the land we are to give them 21 days notice and you will also write to INEC stating names of people who are going to those congresses, the venue you will conduct the congresses, you will also announce locally stating the time of the congress and we would inform the security agencies for protection and guide.

“If you move away from the organisation stipulated by INEC we will describe it the way anybody will describe it.

“This is the headquarters of APC and you now go and set up something outside here is no more APC. I’m just hearing from you that there was a parallel congress; I didn’t know.”