The battle to fill vacant slots in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) assumed a curious twist on Friday as it emerged that the Abia State chapter of the party nominated two persons for the office of the National Welfare Officer.
It was gathered that the State Executive Committee had on 28th March 2023 nominated Rev. Dan Imo, a development which some stakeholders in the state were said to have kicked against, following the fact that he was just two years old in the party and with no political experience or clout.
A party official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the SEC acted in violation of extant laws regarding such nominations.
On "Vacancy", Article 31.5 of the APC Constitution states; "In the event of vacancy, the office shall be filled as follows: "In the case of a National/Zonal Officer, the State Executive Committee shall propose a replacement to the State Congress and Zonal Executive Committee for endorsement. Thereafter, the name shall be sent to the National Working Committee, which shall forward same to the National Executive Committee for approval".
It was gathered that the Abia SEC failed to organize a state Congress and also by-passed the zonal executive committee but instead forwarded the nominee directly to the NWC.
Within a space of four months, "the Abia Chairman without any consultation with stakeholders in the state and state congress sent another letter proposing another individual Deacon Obinna Atuonwu at their discretion without a state congress to replace the late National Welfare Officer. Assuming without conceding that they even have the powers, which of their two nominees would the NEC now honour?" A top party chieftain from Abia, queried.
He said; "There is no place for proposing a replacement without calling for a congress in the Constitution which states that the state executive shall propose a replacement to the state congress and then to Zonal Executive Committee for endorsement.
"The purposive interpretation of Article 31.5 in the writers mind is that a proposal, just a proposal, not a nomination will be raised by the state executive committee who will call for a state congress to make the presentation of such proposal seeking for the acceptance and the adoption by the state congress before presenting such to the zonal executive for endorsement. This must be done before sending any name to the National Working Committee who will then send it to the National Executive Committee for approval.
"For the state executive committee to ignore this provisions in their action amounts to an infraction and a ground for a strong petition to the National Working Committee. The question remains: what exactly are they afraid of? Why are they struggling to go through a back door to choose someone who will add nothing to the party? The way Abia APC and the way it was operated added nothing to the quest of Mr president in the last election. When is Abia APC going to wake up to take over their party and its leadership to add value to the national project? Old style, old system with old poor result will keep Abia below expectations. Abia APC needs to move on .
"As it appears, what is before the Chairman and all those they copied in their letter remains only a mere expression of an interest to propose as every proposal must go through the normal channels as laid down by our constitution. Abia APC should call a state congress that is truly a congress to be monitored by the National Working Committee - a real congress for the first time".
Meanwhile, it was gathered that stakeholders of the party are rooting for a former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Azubuike as NWC nominee.
Azubuike who served as the 5th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly was also a Deputy gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 general election.
"He is not a political neophyte and won't be a liability to the party leadership. Most of us believe and know that Azubuike will bring a lot of value to the NWC, using his wealth of experience and huge network of contacts", said the party official.
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