APC Announces Dates For Congresses

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced new dates for its congresses.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ward congresses would now hold on May 5, local government congresses would hold on May 12, while the state congresses will hold on May 19, 2018.

The national convention was scheduled for May 14, but Abdullahi said it would now hold in June with the exact day to be announced later.

The dates were changed primarily because of the Muslim fasting season, Ramadan.

“The observation was that the timetable as it is currently constituted or composed was determined because of the Ramadan and we want to be sensitive to the feelings of Muslims who will be fasting in the month of Ramadan,” Abdullahi had said.

“Therefore, we try to avoid conducting any political activities in the month of Ramadan… We are aware that some governors have been making statements which we believe are giving the impression that we don’t intend to hold congresses in particular states.

“So, the meeting was to emphasise to those governors that we want congresses in a very transparent manner and to ensure that the processes are free and fair.”

Should the party hold its national convention in June, it will be the first in three years, against its own constitution which stipulates at least one in two years.