The All Progressives Congress has barred political appointees from voting at its national convention holding on Saturday.
The party made this known in a press statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari only recently secured the cooperation of the APC governor’s to have consensus candidates for key party positions, which will make voting irrelevant.
The statement was titled, ‘Attention to political office holders who were elected as delegates’.
It read, “The National Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of APC has declared that all political appointees who were elected as delegates to the National Convention slated for 26/3/2022 SHALL NOT VOTE in view of the controversy surrounding Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act,2022.
“However, political appointees can still attend as observers.”
The Senate had earlier unanimously rejected Electoral Act Amendment Bill sent by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
In the rejected bill, the president asked the National Assembly to amend Section 84(10) of the Act to allow political appointees to contest and participate in the primaries without resigning.
Section 84(10) of the Act specifically reads, “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
Unknown to many members of the public, a lawyer and chieftain of the Action Alliance party, Mr Nduka Edede, approached a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia on the matter – in a suit marked FHC/MU/SC/26/2022, with the Attorney General of the Federation as the defendant.
The plaintiff asked the court to determine whether Section 84(12), when read together with Sections 66(1)(f) 107(1)(f)(137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, was not inconsistent.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, nullified Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act, saying it violated the provisions of the Constitution.
Anyadike held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever, saying it ought to have been struck out.
A few hours after the judgement was delivered, the Office of Attorney General and Minister of Justice announced Federal Government’s plans to implement the court judgement allowing political appointees to run for office without resigning.
Some of the President’s ministers who are said to be planning to run for different offices include the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is said to be eyeing the Kebbi State governorship seat; the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who is believed to be planning to contest the governorship of Katsina State; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is rumoured to be eyeing the Presidency.
Others who are said to have political ambitions include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; and a few others.
On Wednesday, March 23, the Senate resolved to appeal the judgment by the Federal High Court in Umuahia, nullifying the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.
Also, two days to the Convention, President Buhari Thursday hosted the founding fathers of the party to a dinner.
The dinner was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
One of the attendees was Bola Tinubu, the former Lagos governor who wants to succeed Buhari as President.
Another presidential aspirant and founding member of the APC who attended the dinner was Imo Senator, Rochas Okorocha.
Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, who is believed to nurse a presidential ambition, but has yet to formally declare his interest, was also at the dinner.
The get-together was reportedly to show Buhari’s appreciation to the critical stakeholders for their continued support, understanding and cooperation to his administration.
It was also meant to show appreciation to the founding fathers for keeping faith with the goals and ideals of the ruling party, the agency reported.
The engagement was also in furtherance of genuine efforts by the Buhari administration aimed at ensuring a rancour free and successful National Convention of the party, slated for March 26.
Others in attendance included the first interim chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, Ogbonnaya Onu, Ibrahim Shekarau and Aliyu Wamakko.
Others are Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna and Aminu Masari of Katsina.
The Chairman, Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Mai Mala Buni, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, also attended the dinner.
No official statement was issued on the outcome of interactive dinner as at the time of filing this report.
Buhari had earlier met with APC governors, national chairmanship aspirants of the party as well as the party’s leadership at the National Assembly during which issues relating to the APC National Convention were discussed.
Saturday’s APC convention will hold in Abuja during which new leaders will be elected for the party. The new leaders will lead the party into next year’s general election.
Buhari is rooting for a former Nasarawa governor, Abdullahi Adamu, to be the next chairman of the party.