2019: APC moves against nPDP group

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its national convention deepened, yesterday, as members protested the composition of the convention sub-committee in Abuja.
Party faithful, especially members of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) accused the Presidency of replacing about 50 names from the original list.
Trouble started shortly after the national convention committee chairman, Governor Abubakar, inaugurated the 12 sub-committees comprising 250 members.
Daily Sun gathered that several names initially published by the convention committee were removed on the order of the Presidency.
Few minutes after the inauguration, the venue of the event, turned rowdy as aggrieved party members including some secretariat staff  engaged in shouting match over what they described as the insensitivity and failure of the committee to accommodate them.
“It is unfair to treat us like this, why should they remove our names from the original list? We cannot accept this,” they shouted until some committee members promised to look into their grievances.
They lamented that some of the names removed were majorly members of the aggrieved nPDP.
According to one of the protesters and an APC chieftain, “we were told that the Presidency sent in about 50 names to replace the original list. This is very unfair for a party preaching internal democracy.”
Governor Badaru told newsmen shortly after the inauguration that a tentative date of June 23 had been agreed for the convention.
“It was suggested today that we should have the convention on June 23 but we will have to discuss it with the National secretariat to confirm the date,” he said.
Asked if he was worried about the recent parallel congresses witnessed in many state of the federation, the governor said: “I am sure they will be resolved before the time of the convention. Most of those issues will find way to be resolved in due time.”
He said sale of nomination forms would begin by Monday or Tuesday next week.
Governor Badaru also denied report that his committee was planning to spend about N6 billion on the exercise.
“I am very sure it will be very far less than that. Tomorrow, we are getting all the budgets from all the sub-committees, but I can assure you that it will be far less.”
Knowing me and knowing what I stand for, you will know that it will be the cheapest national convention ever.”
Asked who will foot the bill for the national convention, the governor replied: “We are raising it among the party members and they have started donating already.”
-Sun