APC Spent N7bn On National Convention

The 2018 national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is believed to have gulped over N7 billion, Daily Independent reports.

The figure, it was reliably gathered, did not take into account expenditures of individual governors that headed the twelve subcommittees that handled various aspects of the convention.

It was gathered that each governor was mandated by the party to substantially take care of the budget of the subcommittee headed by him as part of his contribution to the two-day event.

It was also reliably gathered that the sum voted for the convention by the party was heavily financed by rich APC states of Lagos and Kano, with Edo and Kaduna states coming in that order.

Our source hinted that figures could rise after the party would have closed the books in a week or two, adding that the administration may have discreetly enlisted the support of some revenue generating agencies and parastatals.

The party had denied the huge budget profile of the convention which attracted over 6,800 delegates to the federal capital city.

Meanwhile, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the new national chairman of the APC, failed to resume at the national secretariat of the party on Monday contrary to his promise during Sunday’s inauguration.

However, a few members of the National Working Committee elected alongside Oshiomhole showed up briefly in what appeared reconnaissance call.

One of the early callers was the newly elected National Organising Secretary, Emma Ibediro, who came to the secretariat triumphantly with his supporters and went straight to the office of the Organising Secretary where they prayed before taking pictures.

Ibediro was sponsored for the position by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

He defeated the former occupant of the office, Senator Osita Izunaso, in a contest that almost marred the convention.

The newly elected National Youth Leader, Abubakar Shuaib, also reported to the secretariat and stayed briefly before leaving.

Comrade Oshiomhole’s delayed resumption, it was gathered, was at the behest of former National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who pleaded for more time to tidy up his handover notes.

“Oshiomhole is anxious to resume, but the handover note is not ready yet.

“The former chairman pleaded that he be given till the end of today to finalise the handover note.

“So, Oshiomhole will not be coming to the secretariat today again. He will be here tomorrow when the handover would be done,” a source told reporters.

It was, however, gathered that Comrade Oshiomhole held a closed-door meeting with some APC governors at his residence in readiness for the task ahead.

Oshiomhole was elected unopposed as the new national chairman of the APC at its national convention at the Eagles Square, in Abuja, on Saturday and Sunday.