Akpanudoedehe was Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) chaired by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, until yesterday
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its March 26 National Convention deepened on Tuesday with the resignation of the Secretary of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.
Akpanudoedehe’s resignation came a day after the CECPC chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, was upstaged in what looked like a palace coup.
TheNiche learnt that the embattled Secretary submitted his resignation letter to Caretaker Committee Acting Chairman, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, during a routine meeting of the committee at the party Secretariat in Abuja.
Bello, governor of Niger State, on Monday, arrived at the National Headquarters of the ruling party to take over as chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party.
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The development came amid rumour that
A tweet from the TVC yesterday announced the palace coup read, “Niger State Governor @abusbello has arrived the National Headquarters of the APC to take over as Chairman of the CECPC from Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.”
“Secretary, Caretaker Committee, John AkpanUdoedehe has also arrived at the national secretariat.
“The leadership of the party is currently in a closed-door meeting with Niger state Governor.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari left the shores of Nigeria on Sunday for a scheduled two-week medical tourism in the United Kingdom even as the crisis in his party simmers.
The uncertainties in APC began to unfold when the party, within 24 hours, issued two conflicting statements last month on the actual date for its national convention
It first cancelled the February 26 scheduled National Convention and announced Zonal Congress for March 26.
But within hours, the APC reversed the earlier decision postponing its national convention indefinitely.
Later, the party issued another directive to the effect that the national convention would hold on March 26, the date earlier slated for the conduct of its zonal congresses.
The new arrangement did not explain what happens to the zonal congresses
TheNiche had then reported that the APC had tactically put off its National Convention, earlier scheduled for February 26, and that no new date was fixed for the exercise. Rather, the party settled for Zonal Congresses.
In the letter announcing the shift, the APC told INEC that the new information, superseded its earlier notice on national convention, saying that the new arrangement was predicated on the evaluation of the party’s constitution.
Akpanudoedehe’s resignation adds a new dimension to the game of musical chairs.