- The APC in Lagos state has rejected Chief Oyegun's tenure extension
- It described the extension as illegal to the country's constitution
The Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the elongation of the tenure of Chief John Oyegun as chairman of the party saying it was against the constitution of the country.
The Cable reports that in a statement after their consultative forum on Tuesday, March 6, and attended by party elders, the Lagos chapter said the one year elongation of national and state executives was against the constitution.
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The party said: “Section 223 of the 1999 constitution as amended provides for periodical election on a democratic basis for principal officers and members of the executive committee of political parties.
“According to the constitution, election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party will be deemed to be periodical if done at regular intervals not exceeding four years.
“Article 17 of the party’s constitution also provides for a four-year tenure for its national and state executives, which is renewable for another four years.”
Tajudeen Olusi who is the leader of the party in Lagos central senatorial district said the decision was a breach of the constitution. He said: “We have taken reports of the state APC chairman in respect of the NEC meeting held in Abuja. We have also had the privilege of receiving great reports from our leader from the reconciliation committee.
“We have considered the issue of extension of tenure and we are of the firm belief that the decision is a breach of the constitution of our party and of the country. We are against the elongation of tenure. We shall continue to make our decision known to the party and to the president.
“In extending the tenure, the APC National Executive Committee had relied on Article 13.3 (ii) of its constitution which states that The NEC can discharge the functions of the convention in a period of emergency.
Article 13.3 (ii) of APC Constitution specifically states that the NEC of the party is empowered to; 'Discharge all functions of the National Conventions as constituted in between Conventions'.
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“But the provision in Article 13.3 (ii) is not limitless and open-ended. It is a responsibility restricted by the same constitution, which provides exclusively under Article 30 (i) that: This Constitution and Schedules hereto can be amended only by the National Convention of the Party.”
Meanwhile, a former governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, on Saturday, March 3, accused the APC of being scared to hold its national convention.
Aliyu made the comment while addressing journalists after chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger East Senatorial District held a meeting at Paikoro in Niger state.
APC chieftain give reasons why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng