APC Shifts National Convention To June

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed new dates for the conduct congresses and shifted the May 14 set for the national convention to June.

The party had initially on April 18, announced that it would hold its National Convention on May 14.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ward congresses would now hold on May 5; local government congresses on May 12, while the state congresses will hold on May 19, 2018.

As for the national convention, the party only said that it would hold in June and that the exact day for ti would be announced later.

The dates were changed primarily because of the Muslim fasting season, the Ramadan.

Should the party hold its national convention in June, it will be the first in three years, against its own constitution which stipulates at least one in two years.

Ward congresses were initially scheduled to hold on May 2, local government area congresses on May 5, and state congresses on May 9.

The ruling party found itself faced with a leadership controversy in February after its National Executive Committee decided to extend the tenure of its NWC by a year effective June 2018.

That decision turned out to be unpopular and President Muhammadu Buhari rejected it a month later, warning that it was against the APC constitution as well as Nigeria’s Constitution.

Reports say that former Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole is a strong contender for the post of National Chairman.