Anxiety At APC Secretariat As Party Fails To Resume Sale Of Nomination Forms

Anxiety At APC Secretariat As Party Fails To Resume Sale Of Nomination Forms

Palpable anxiety and panic, on Monday, pervaded the National secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the failure of the national leadership of the party to commence the sale of nomination forms to the aspirants contesting for the vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) during the February 26 National Convention.

The Caretaker Committee had during its 19th regular meeting in January last month, fixed February 14 for the sales of nomination forms for the NWC positions and February 19, for the submission of completed forms.

But disappointment portrayed the mood of the supporters of the various aspirants and some of the aspirants that stormed the Secretariat to purchase the form for their principals or themselves, as none of the members of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) could attend to them.

The secretariat staff were even more confused as many of them confided on our Correspondent that the party is yet to take delivery of the printed forms, let alone fixing prices for the forms.

A reliable source said: “We are as confused as the aspirants because we have waited endlessly to know if they will start the sale of the forms yet there is no sign of it at all. I am not even sure they have printed the forms. No fewer than 15 persons have called the Organising department to ask whether the forms are ready. I am not even sure whether the Organising Secretary is aware of what is happening because he takes orders from the Chairman and Secretary,” the source lamented.

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However, another source claimed that the plots by the Caretaker Committee and some state governors to foist to a consensus arrangement on the Convention may have stalled the sales of forms slated for Monday.

Two national chairmanship aspirants had on Monday sent emissaries to make enquiries on the sales of forms, while four aspirants for National Youth Leader and one zonal organising Secretary from the South East region personally visited the Secretariat for the purchase of their forms and left disappointed.
Confirming g that the party was yet to print nomination forms or agree on the cost for the forms and the mode of payment, the source said: “the truth is that nobody is talking about the printing of any form here. Under normal circumstances the party would have advertised the sale of nomination forms, indicating the cost of each office before now but there was no such an advert.”

“Everybody is at a loss. Nobody but the Caretaker Committee members can tell you the position of things. All we know is that the National Convention must hold as scheduled,” the source assured amidst the confusion.

Another source attributed the delay in the sale of the forms to the decision to enable the Caretaker Committee and the governors to come up with a consensus arrangement acceptable to all the stakeholders and interest groups at the convention.

“The Caretaker Committee is being tactical. We cannot rush to sell forms for NWC positions when we are not done with the zoning arrangement. The Caretaker Committee is in contact with the progressive governors and other stakeholders. They are networking and in high-level negotiations to come up with a unity list or a consensus arrangement. I can tell you that it will be fine-tuned before the closing date for submission of forms,” the source noted.

Expressing disappointment, a supporter to one of the aspirants said: “I am here to make an enquiry regarding the sale of nomination form on behalf of my principal in line with the timetable released by the national leadership, but I have gotten any concrete information. A party official just told me to come back, but when, I don’t know. We are seriously at a complete loss.”

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Although other aspirants that stormed the Secretariat kept sealed lips on the development, a chairmanship aspirant, Chief Sunny Sylvester Moniedafe, who spoke on phone expressed disappointment over the delay in the sale of forms, lamenting the silence of the party leadership.
“I have been on this issue for over 20 months now and in less than two weeks to the convention, we are still asking questions. We want to know what is happening. I have been in touch with the party headquarters since Thursday and even today Monday and they keep telling me no news. The party should tell us what is happening.

“There is no communication from the party. We have to be told of the zoning arrangement. Nothing is happening in less than two weeks to the convention. I don’t think that is fair to us,” he lamented.

On whether the development may lead to another postponement of the convention, he said; “this convention must hold. Nothing can stop it. Just that the delay and non-release of information are not expected. If they want consensus, let them come out and say so. There is nothing wrong with consensus, but call all the parties involved. The delay is uncalled for,” Moniedafe concluded.

A youth leader from the South East who also expressed anger in confidence said that his investigation from the party showed that the party was yet to print the form, wondering why the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee will like to toy with the ambition and applications of party members.

“From their body language, it seems the caretaker committee is out to sabotage the convention. I am here today keeping with the timetable on the convention to purchase the form only to be told that the forms are not available.

“I know of seven aspirants from south-east and south-south who are in Abuja today for the forms. This is demoralising and discouraging. Our leaders should stop toying with the future of this party,” he warned.

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