INEC Rejects Gov. Bello as Caretaker Committee Chairman
By: Collins Mbakwe
The crisis currently rocking the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC)hit a crescendo on Thursday as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected the nomination of Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State as the Chairman of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party.
Our Nigeria News learnt that Governor Bello, upon resumption as Chairman of CECPC of APC, transmitted a letter dated 9th March 2022, informing INEC of the change of guard at the party’s national secretariat.
Bello introduced himself in the said letter as Chairman while Professor Tahir Mamman was introduced as the acting Secretary of the party. Both Governor Bello and Professor Mamman were said to have signed the letter.
The letter served as notice to the commission, of APC’s CECPC decision to hold a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for next week Thursday, 17th March 2022.
The Commission reportedly replied to the letter on Thursday, 10th March 2022, saying it was not aware of any change of guard in APC. The document remains strange as there was no time the Commission was invited to observe or monitor any meeting where the changes took place, hence, the letter was rejected.
“Section 82(2-3) of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) makes it mandatory for all registered political parties in Nigeria to involve INEC in any meeting, congress or convention where elections or decisions to nominate executives or governing bodies of the party shall be taken.
“The same section also provided that, in a case of replacement of any vacant position in the party, INEC must be fully involved too” the Source revealed.
“The Commission was not invited to any meeting of Congress where Mai Buni was removed as Chairman, and as such, could not deal with what was not legally constituted.”
INEC Rejects Gov. Bello as Caretaker Committee Chairman
