Umahi: APC caretaker committee is constitutional

David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, says the caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is constitutional.

On Saturday, congresses were held for ward representatives of the APC across states.

Before the Saturday exercise, there were concerns over the legality of the congresses, following the recent decision of the supreme court on the election victory of Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state.

Concerns were said to have been raised over the legality of Mai Mala Buni holding the APC caretaker committee chairmanship position, despite being the governor of Yobe.

According to a statement by Francis Nwaze, Umahi’s spokesman, the governor while assessing the just concluded congresses in his state, said the caretaker arrangement put together by the party was in line with the party’s constitution.

He said the arrangement did not violate any section of the party’s constitution or the 1999 constitution (as amended).

”When that opinion was expressed, I had to go through the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the party,” he said.

“A section of the party’s constitution empowers the National Executive Committee to set up a caretaker committee and this caretaker committee is to do the job of any of the organs of the party where there is vacancy or vacancies.”

According to NAN, Umahi described the ward congress held on July 31 as peaceful and with a massive turnout of party faithful.

The governor said the consensus arrangement was being demonstrated in the field through massive mobilisation and voting.

“The congress yesterday was very wonderful, very peaceful,” he said.

“The consensus arrangement was demonstrated on the field by way of massive mobilisation and election was very impressive.”