Niyi Odebode
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he is not sure that current officers of the All Progressives Congress can meet the conditions for their re-election
While he noted that the current executives of the party at all levels are free to re-contest their positions, he said he was not sure of the “practicality of present serving officers’ ability” to meet the conditions prescribed for their reelection.
Article 31(1)(iii) of the APC Constitution requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before election.
He therefore advised party chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, and other party executives to resign if they want to contest again.
Buhari stated this at the party’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Monday.
The tenure of Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee will end on June 28, 2018.
The President stated, “I also believe that the current executives should be free to vie for elective positions in the party if they so wish, as permitted by our Party constitution.
“However, considering the provision of Article 31(1)(iii) of the APC Constitution, which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before election, I am not sure of the practicality of present serving officers’ ability to meet this condition.
“Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party executives at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised from participating in the elections should they wish to do so, provided this does not violate our rules.
“Necessary waiver(s) should also be extended to executives at the Ward level whose tenures may have elapsed, and indeed to anyone knocking at our doors from other political parties. This is in the spirit of the Right to Freedom of Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)
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