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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Anxiety and panic pervaded the national secretariat of the APC, yesterday, over failure of the national leadership to commence sale of nomination forms to aspirants contesting the vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) slated for the February 26 national convention.
The caretaker committee had during its meeting in January, fixed February 14 for the sales of nomination forms and February 19 for submission of completed forms. But supporters of various aspirants and some of the aspirants that stormed the secretariat to purchase the form were disappointed that none of the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was on ground to attend to them.
The secretariat staff were even more confused as they told Daily Sun that the party had not taken delivery of the printed forms, let alone fix its prices.
“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 that the organising secretary is aware of what is happening because he takes order from the Chairman and Secretary,” a source at the secretariat said.
Another source claimed that plots by the caretaker committee and some state governors to foist a consensus arrangement on the convention may have stalled the sales of forms slated for yesterday.
It was learnt that two national chairmanship aspirants had 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.
Another source attributed the delay in the sale to ongoing efforts to allow the caretaker committee and for the governors come up with a consensus arrangement acceptable to all 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.”
Though other aspirants that stormed the secretariat kept sealed lips on the development, a chairmanship aspirant, Chief Sunny Moniedafe, expressed disappointment over the delay.
“I have been on this issue for over 20 months 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, they keep telling me no news. The party should tell us what is happening.”
