The APC Statutory Delegates of South-West Extraction have rejected the proposed amendment to the party’s constitution seeking the removal of former and serving national assembly members as statutory delegates.
Operating under the aegis of ‘Asiwaju Delegates’, the stakeholders in a statement signed by Sen. Adegbenga Kaka, Sen. Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, Sen Dayo Adeyeye, Hon. Ayo Omidiran and Hon. Bosun Oladele (protem Secretary) also warned against the imposition and fielding unpopular candidates as consensus in the forthcoming February 26 convention.
The seven point communique issued at the end of their meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital reads
“The APC Statutory Delegates of South-West Extraction loyal and supportive to His Excellency – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the aegis of “ Asiwaju Delegates” met today the 17th Day of February, 2022 at Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre Ibadan, Oyo State to deliberate on the forth coming Convention of our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the interest of our leader in the Presidential Electoral Contest of 2023 where we resolved as follows:
That we are fully in support of the presidential ambition of His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and shall continue to advocate and network for same.
That we are in support of the decision of the Caretaker (Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of our great party led by His Excellency Mai Mala Buni to hold our National Convention on the 26th day of February, 2022.
We shall continue to support every decision of our party that is devoid of injustice, arbitrariness or any attempt to disenfranchise legitimate party members from exercising their democratic rights in line with our party constitution and extant rules.
We are opposed to all moves and decisions that will not allow the upcoming national convention to be contested by willing party members in an atmosphere devoid of any imposition and unpopular consensus arrangements.
We are opposed to any proposed amendment seeking to exclude former and serving members of the National Assembly of our party APC from National Convention OR any proposed amendment seeking to alter the membership of the party’s National Convention as presently composed as this is tantamount to “changing the rules in the middle of the game” because of primordial vested interests and such will not encourage popular participation in the National Convention and Presidential primaries and will definitely rob the party of robust contest and emergence of candidates by popular choice.
That by all known convention and democratic tenets, former and serving National Assembly members are ranking party members and statesmen that play vital roles in party management and critical democratic process across all parties thus the question is: “who benefits from their removal”???
Towards the actualisation our set goal of ensuring the emergence of His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, we have resolved to continue to hold periodic meetings as and when necessary and to further network with other zones of the Country”.
