Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC), will be guided by the Electoral Act in the conduct of Saturday’s National Convention.
Sule, who is the Chairman of the APC Sub-Committee on Media and Publicity for the National Convention said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the conference was to brief the public on the steps taken so far to ensure a peaceful and rancor-free National Convention.
“You can be rest assured that whatever we are going to do is going to be in line with the Electoral Act,” he said.
He said this was because the party was working on a consensus candidate for its various elective offices.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that clause 84(9) of the Electoral Act provides that a political party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure written consent from all cleared aspirants for the position.
This implies that they must indicate their voluntary withdrawal from the race as well as endorse the consensus candidate.
“Where a political party is unable to secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the purpose of a consensus candidate, it shall revert to the choice of direct or indirect primaries. This is for the nomination of candidates for elective positions.”
Sule said that the APC was a law-abiding political party that believed in rule of law.
“We are a law-abiding political party, we will not do anything whatsoever, as a political party that is going to be in violation of the law, because as the ruling party. We will not carry out something that is going to be detrimental to our laws, so we do not give bad examples,” he said.
He said that following President Muhammad Buhari’s request, the party leadership might refund the money paid by aspirants for the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms after the emergence of a consensus candidate.
“This was an appeal made by Buhari to show leadership, he said once we agreed on the consensus, it is only fair that what they paid to purchase the forms be returned to them.
“That is his request, and I am telling you, his request will be honored because we know he is doing it sincerely for the benefit of the party.”
“It was a request actually made by the president to the leadership of the party and the leadership was there, so, I will say that the leadership of the party also agreed,” Sule said.
He said that only accredited delegates would be allowed into the convention venue.
Sule lauded Buhari, the Progressive Governors and Chairman of APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), for the efforts in advancing the party’s course.
He said the APC had in Buhari, a political leader and a father that was respected by its members.
“We strongly believe that he will not do anything for a selfish reason, greed, or for anything that will be against the party’s interest, his interest is to ensure the unity of the party. So, he is not doing anything for his personal benefit, that is the kind of leader we have, that is why each time he speaks, everyone listens,” Sule said.
He said that while the party had zoned its national chairmanship to the North-Central, some aspirants outside the zone, were still in the race.
He said this was democracy in action as such, aspirants could not be denied since they had already purchased the forms to contest the position.
New National Executives were expected to be elected at the party’s national convention to manage its affairs presently being managed by the CECPC led by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.
So far, seven aspirants in the chairmanship race had obtained and submitted the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the cost of N20 million.
They included Malam Saliu Mustapha, a former Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressives Congress (CPC), Sen. George Akume, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Sen. Sani Musa, Sen. Tanko Al Makura, and a former Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara.