Ahead of the February 26 national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), on Wednesday released a schedule of activities for the Convention.

The information was released at the end of the meeting of the APC CECPC.

A statement signed by its national secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe said the processes would commence with the Committee receiving the Interim Report of the National Reconciliation Committee on January 31, 2020. Former Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Adamu is the Chairman of the troubleshooting team.

The APC will on February 2, 2022, consider and adopt Reports of State Congresses and inaugurate legitimate state executive on February 3, 2022.

Sale of Forms to all aspirants vying for National Offices will start on February 14, 2022, while all accompanying documents must be completed on or before February 19, 2022.

The statement further revealed that Sub Committees would equally be unveiled on February 19, 2022, while screening of all aspirants vying for National Offices would hold between 20th – 22nd of February, 2022 to be followed by Screening Appeals to hear and resolve complaints arising from the screening exercise on February 23, 2022.

Senator Akpanudoedehe in the statement disclosed that “Accreditation of all statutory and elected delegates to the National Convention will be conducted between 24th – 25th of February 2022 ahead of February 26 date of the Convention.

Aspirants who may have strong reservations about the Convention will enjoy the opportunity to ventilate their grievances before the National Convention Appeal on February 28, 2022.

While speaking with journalists after the meeting, Senator Akpanudoedehe declined comments on the zoning arrangement.

A party source however told Tribune Online that the national Chairman may emerge from the North Central zone.

Aspirants from the zone in the race include Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa; his Nasarawa South, Tanko Al-Makura; former Benue State governor and Minister of Special Duties, George Akume and a chieftain of the party from Kwara State, Saliu Mustapha.

The party source foreclosed zoning of national Chairman to North East, the zone of the incumbent Yobe state governor and Chairman of the APC CECPC, Mai Mala Buni.

Women who are members of the Abia State chapter of the party staged a protest at the party national secretariat while the meeting of the Caretaker team was ongoing.

Women leader-elect, Mrs Ezinne Ude-Uduma cautioned against the imposition of Ikechi Emenike as Chairman.

“Our demand first is for the national chairman Buni to do the right thing. He should wait for the recommendation Committee report to come out. They should not impose anybody or impose any candidate. We voted for Chume Acho Iheanacho Obioha as Abia State party chairman and we want him, he’s a ‘grassrooter’ instead of the other man, we don’t even know his name.”

The women said Acho Iheanacho Obioha be accorded recognition as Chairman of Abia State chapter.

“What happened in Anambra will happen in Abia State. We would lose the election. Everybody will go to another party and PDP will take over Abia State and we want APC to take over Abia State.

“We are here because we were reliably informed that the national leadership of this party wants to inaugurate the newly-elected leadership of the party in our state. We demand that either Buni or Akpanudoedehe must address us or we won’t leave this gate.

“We are ready to strip naked here if the party inaugurate those taunting and embarrassing us for identifying with APC those early days of the formation of the party in the State.

“We have not benefited anything after suffering for the party since 2014 we became members of the party. We have nothing to show for the humiliation we suffered in the hands of those that just joined and hijacked the party now.

“We won’t leave here, we will shock you what we will do here if we are pressed. We will not be ashamed to strip naked if the party leadership fails to address us now.”

Addressing them, APC Director of Administration, Abubakar Suleiman, however, assured them that no newly-elected State executive will be inaugurated before the conduct of the national convention.

“I want to assure you that we are not inaugurating any State executive today or tomorrow. The inauguration will be done after the national convention. We want to inform you that we will reconcile all the aggrieved party members before even talking about the inauguration.

“I appeal to you to leave the gate. Bring a formal letter or petition, detailing your grievances and I promise you it will be attended to.”