BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
A network of youth groups have asked that the members of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), be exempted from contesting the positions of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in the forthcoming national convention.
The network of youth groups, known as the APC Young Stakeholders Forum, made its position known in a press release signed by the Forum Conveners, George Green and Haruna Rabiu.
In the statement, the group said, “The attention of the APC Young Stakeholders Forum has been drawn to the unbelievable and improper conduct of Barr. Ismael Ahmed, SA to the President on Social Investments Programme and the youth representative in the CECPC (Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee) of our great party APC, who has put himself forward in the race for the office of the National Organizing Secretary in the March 26th National Convention.
“We wish to state unequivocally that this attempt to be in the race for a position in the National Convention while still serving as a member of the CECPC will simply amount to being ‘a judge in his own case’. This is because the CECPC is the undisputed electoral umpire in the coming elective convention of the party. Therefore, none of the current serving member of the CECPC should be allowed to be in the race for any office at the convention let alone being part of the coming National Working Committee (NWC).
“This act must be resisted by all and sundry as allowing it to happen will run against every grain of natural justice and all known moral considerations, which will further put the credibility of the entire process in serious question at a time the party is looking forward to a worthy National Convention to usher in a substantive NWC and some members of NEC of the party in preparation for the much-anticipated 2023 general elections.
“This concern of all young stakeholders of the party has become even more germane in the light of the gross inability of the said Barr. Ismael Ahmed to speak up for the youths through proper representation during the CECPC sessions, that led to the formulation of policies that are clearly against the interest of young people in the party.
“One of such policies that excludes young people and ordinary Nigerians from the party leadership positions is the exorbitant and outrageous cost for nomination forms for election into NWC and NEC positions of the party in the coming convention. Nomination fees that are way beyond the reach of the teeming passionate and committed party faithfuls who have been neglected and abandoned since the party came to power in 2015.
“It is Important to note that the APC Young Stakeholders Forum, a conglomeration, and network of registered youth groups within the party will do everything legally possible to prevent this injustice from taking place and taking roots in the party now and in the future.
“We are confident that the right thing will be done to avoid another round of internal crisis in our great party, as we believe the time for bickering and unbridled ambitions that threaten the very foundation of the party should be over. This is the time to build the party for the benefit of its members and the continuous promotion of its progressive ideals that endeared it to the mass of the Nigerian people.”
It is also being alleged that the representative of the South East in the CECPC, Senator Ken Nnamani, former President of the Senate is aspiring to contest the Deputy National Chairman (South).
