The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors will meet in Abuja today (Friday) to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision in the lawsuit between Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and Eyitayo Jegede, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the state’s October 2020 gubernatorial election.
The Supreme Court decision sparked debate, as the judges unanimously concluded that Mai Mala Buni could not be governor of Yobe State and yet hold an elective post in the party, stressing that a sitting governor cannot serve as both governor and party national chairman.
Four of the seven judges on the court denied Jegede’s appeal for failing to include Buni as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, in a memo leaked on Wednesday urged the party’s leadership to remove Buni as chairman of the caretaker committee as soon as possible, warning that the party would face imminent legal wrangling if the governor remained its interim leader.
Keyamo also suggested that the APC postpone its planned congresses under Buni’s leadership, stating that the party’s “unity” would be jeopardized if the congresses, which were set to take place across the country on Saturday under Buni’s leadership, went ahead.
Following the uproar over the Supreme Court decision, APC governors are expected to meet today to discuss the state and local government congresses slated for Saturday (tomorrow).
Ali Bukar Dalori, the APC Chairman in Borno State and Chairman of the party’s Chairmen’s Forum, hinted that the meeting’s conclusion would determine whether the party would proceed with the state and local government congresses.
“You know I am a loyal party man. The party communicated to us to continue with preparations for the congresses pending the outcome of their meeting.
“The state governors are meeting tomorrow (today) so I cannot categorically say whether we’ll hold the congresses or they will say we should postpone them.
Tomorrow, the governors will gather in Abuja for an emergency meeting. We’ll know the party’s position and the path they plan to take after that meeting. “Don’t worry, we’ll know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Dalori was quoted as saying.
Senator Magnus Abe, who represented Rivers State’s South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, criticized Keyamo’s statement on the Governor Mala Buni-led All Progressives Congress (APC) committee’s proposal for Buni’s ouster on Thursday.
Abe had in a statement on Thursday said Keyamo’s argument based on his interpretation of the judgement of the Supreme Court in Jegede Vs Akeredolu was baseless since the defence of Buni, who heads the National Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party was never heard.
He expressed surprise over Keyamo’s position on the matter, especially his call for the party to immediately suspend all preparations for the forthcoming congresses.
However, he noted that the party leaders who had reservations about the constitution of the caretaker committee were informed that the decision to establish the Committee was reached after extensive legal examination of the issues confronting the APC at that time by a body of eminent lawyers in leadership positions in the party.
“The Buni- led caretaker committee in the determined effort to reposition the party and carry out its difficult assignment has adjusted the seating arrangements in a lot of states and this may explain the stand that some party leaders will take on this issue. But it is important that we deal with facts and the law,” he said.
