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By: Taiwo Amodu – Abuja
National Vice -Chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has again raised concern over the administration of Buhari House – the party national secretariat – by its chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Lukman, who is a member of the APC National Working Committee (NEC), in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, titled; “APC and Questions of Progressive Credentials” accused the party national chairman of usurping the functions of other statutory organs of the governing party.
The national Vice Chairman who alleged that the national secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore is in league with Senator Adamu, noted that the party national chairman has failed to convene meetings of the national caucus and NEC of the party in clear violations of provisions of the party’s Constitution.
Lukman further alleged that members of the APC NWC, NEC and National Caucus were in the dark about the financial health of the governing party under the leadership of the former Nasarawa State governor.
“The name of the party’s BoT has been changed to National Advisory Council (NAC) and its functions have been substantially reduced to advisory as the name implies at the March 28, 2022 National Convention. Even with that there is hardly any ongoing discussion to constitute the party’s NAC in the last one year. By the provision of Article 13.2B.(i) ‘the National Secretary shall, not later than one month after an elective convention, convene the meeting of the National Advisory Council’. One year after assuming office, the National Secretary has never proposed any action towards the inauguration of NAC.
“So far, there was only one meeting of the party’s NEC on April 8, 2022. There was never any meeting of the National Caucus. Instead, meetings of the NWC hold without necessarily ensuring that existing constitutional provisions are respected. In the circumstance, critical functions of the NEC, which include approving the national budget of the party as provided in Article 13.3A(xiv) of the Party’s Constitution is simply ignored.
‘Further, Article 13.3A(xv) of the party’s constitution directed the NWC to give quarterly financial reports to NEC. Also, Article 13.4(ii) direct the NWC to present reports and Article 13.4(iv) compel the NWC to present financial reports on income and expenditure of the Party. All these have been ignored. Yet, it is public knowledge that the party has earned billions of Naira in revenue from sales of forms to aspiring contestants for the 2023 general elections. We are yet to, as NWC, declare to any organ of the party how much we inherited from His Excellency Mai Mala-led Caretaker Committee and how much was received as donations and contributions for the 2023 elections. Large-scale expenditure, which include the renovation of the National Secretariat complex are being undertaken without any organ of the party exercising the powers of due diligence.
“As a member of the NWC, I can say without fear of contradiction, all decisions bordering on managing the finances of the party are being taken by the National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Sen. Iyiola Omisore. Most members of NWC are reduced to onlookers or at best rubber stamp. All appeals for accountability have fallen on deaf ears. Decision of the NWC to convene NEC meeting in August last year was simply sabotaged.”
“Once the party’s constitution is no longer the guide for managing the affairs of the party, discretionary decisions of leaders take over. Consequently, even what get paid to party officials and organs becomes acts of benevolence by the National Chairman or anyone he delegates. As a result, something as fundamental as the decision on what proportion of the party’s income is paid to States, Local Governments and Wards is exercised solely by the National Chairman and National Secretary. Party staff are hired and fired by the National Chairman and National Secretary without report to any organ, including the NWC.”
Ahead of the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, Lukman, who is the immediate past Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum, said failure to convene meetings of the APC NWC to give the federal lawmakers the direction on new presiding officers would be inimical to the interest of the party and the new administration that would take over from the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari.
“With regards to contests for positions in the 10th National Assembly, at the minimum we should seek to improve on the experiences of 2019, which effectively regulated the conduct of Senators-elect and House of Representative members-elect ahead of the inauguration of the 9th Assembly. It is to the credit of the Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC that any possible rebellion by members of the 9th Assembly was blocked, unlike what happened in the case of the 8th Assembly in 2015. All the indications are there now that no attempt is being made to regulate the emergence of leaders for the 10th National Assembly with a high possibility for the emergence of self-centered leadership in the 10th Assembly, which should be averted.
“As a member of the NWC, I want to publicly register my objection to the seeming inability of our NWC to activate the process of convening meetings of NEC to appropriately take decisions and regulate the emergence of the 10th National Assembly leadership. In particular, I want to restate my position that the leadership profile to emerge for the country on May 29, 2023 is already taking the coloration of the leadership of the country in 1999 with a President from South-West and Vice President from North-East. Unlike in 1999, we have two Muslims as President and Vice President. It is therefore very compelling that the Senate President should come from either the South-South or South-East. And since the North-West produced more votes to give our party the victory in the 2023 Presidential election, the position of Speaker House of Representatives should be zoned to North-West in line with what obtained in 1999.”
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