The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership’s call for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over the security situation in the country.
The PDP recently called on the president to resign due to security challenges facing the country.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of the APC NEC meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the committee condemned the call “in very strong terms’’.
He said that the APC NEC frowned at the way and manner security issues were being politicised by the opposition party to score cheap political goals.
He said: “The NEC condemns in very strong terms, the call by the PDP leadership and some of their cheer leaders for the resignation of Mr President.
“NEC observes that security challenges, though regrettable, can only be addressed when all interests, civil and military, governments and opposition, security forces and indeed all citizens, collaborate irrespective of party affiliation.
“This is not the time to politicise security.’’
The governor also revealed that the Committee approved a six-month extension for the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee as well as the dissolution of the party structures at the ward, states and national levels.
He said the NEC also approved the expulsion of former National Vice Chairman of the party in the South-South, Ntufam Hilliard-Eta.
He explained that Hilliard-Eta was dismissed from the party for refusing to withdraw the court case he instituted against the caretaker committee.
“The NEC approved the extension of the tenure of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee led by Mai Mala Buni, which expires in Dec. 25, 2020, for another six months period, to terminate on 30th of June, 2021.
“This is to enable the Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee to conclude its assignment.
“NEC has also donated its powers as enshrined in Articles 13.3 Subsection 5 and 13.3 Subsection 6 of the APC Constitution, to the Caretaker and Convention Planning Committee,’’ he said
He said the NEC also approved the granting of waivers to persons who recently joined the party as well as those desirous of joining the party in the nearest future.
According to him, such new members will enjoy all the benefits and privileges accruable by virtue of their membership of the party.
The governor stated that the prospective members would be able to contest for positions in the party as well as contest elections without any requirement of being members for a number of years or period of time.
He said the NEC approved the expulsion of Ntufam Hilliard-Eta from the party for flaunting its directives to discontinue all litigation against the party and its members.
“The NEC also approved the immediate dissolution of the party organs at the polling units, wards, local government, states and zonal levels as well as the non-National Working Committee component of the National Executive Committee.
”It also approved the immediate reconstitution and composition of the dissolved Eecutive Councils to serve in their respective offices in a caretaker committee capacity, excluding the non-NWC members of NEC,’’ he said.
