Politics
APC Dares INEC Over National Convention
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has assumed a fresh dimension as the party has dared the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and vowed to proceed with its March 26 National Convention.
The party has dismissed a letter written to it by the electoral umpire on the need to give the commission a fresh 21-day notice for its national convention slated for March 26. It also faulted INEC’s position that the letter by the acting Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, was legally defective.
This was as the APC clarified that Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni remains the National Chairman of the CECPC, saying, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello is only operating in an acting capacity.
The clarification came about 24 hours after Governor Bello denied knowledge of any letter from Governor Buni authorising him to act as national chairman.
The spokesman of the party’s CECPC, Mr Ismaila Ahmed, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, on Friday.
He said: “It is pretty simple. I don’t know why this is a complicated issue for a lot of people to understand. Since the inception of this CECPC on June 25, 2020, whenever the chairman is not around and Governor Sani Bello is around, he acts on behalf of the chairman.
“He is our acting chairman and that has always been the case. That has never changed. And now we have a Convention on 26th March, the chairman wrote a letter for his leave to go for medical treatment. Those are two emergencies. He has a medical emergency that cannot wait for the Convention and we have a Convention that cannot wait for him to be healthy. So, one has to leave for the other.
“The chairman transmitted a letter and Governor Bello has been acting as appropriate. He is acting with the full authority of the CECPC and with the full authority of the stakeholders and leaders of the party and with the full consent and knowledge of Governor Mai Mala Buni. If anybody has any issues with any of our decisions, you can take it to court. For now, we know we are doing it with the full backing of the law. There is no ambiguity in this.”
According to him, the APC has given appropriate notice to INEC for its March 26 national convention.
He said the party had earlier intimated the commission of its intent to conduct its national convention on February 26 and that what is now required for its new date of March 26 is simply a notice of an adjustment and not a fresh 21-day notice.
“l am not only a Youth Leader or an interim spokesperson of the party, I am also a lawyer and we have served a notice to INEC for the 26th of February earlier and we served that notice on 5th February. That was the required 21 days. If you are going to make any adjustment to that date, all you need is a letter making an adjustment to the date.
“We don’t need another 21 days and that letter was written about two weeks ago. Immediately we realised that we couldn’t hold it on the 26th of February.
“The moment the CECPC agreed on the 26th March, that letter was written to INEC and they have accepted the letter. So, that is long gone. It is not an issue. The issue of the date of the Convention is not an issue, not in INEC, not certainly with us. That is settled. It is sacrosanct. We have complied with all the requirements and we have notified INEC as appropriately expected of us,” he stated.
INEC had in a letter dated March 9, 2022, and signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, drew the attention of the APC to the need to comply with extant regulations.
The letter reads: “Please refer to your letter Ref. APC/NHDQ/INEC/019/022/32, dated 8th March 2022.
“The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC (Buni and Akpanudoedehe) contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018).
“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of the provision in Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which requires ‘at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective offices.’
“While hoping these issues are noted for compliance, please, accept the assurance of the commission’s warm regards.”
On the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting slated for next Thursday, the party said it was basically for ratification of the March 26 Convention date and to also update the house on the journey so far.
Ismaila Ahmed said the party’s Legal Adviser, Prof. Tahir Mamman, will address the public once some issues regarding the NEC meeting had been clarified, adding that notices had been sent out for the NEC meeting.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
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