Lagos APC kicks against tenure elongation for Odigie-Oyegun, others

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has kicked against the elongation of tenure of the party’s national and state executives, saying it is against the country’s and party’s constitutions.
This runs contrary to the position initially adopted by the State Chapter when its Chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, joined 30 other State Chairmen to endorse tenure elongation for the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and others at the State and LG levels.
The decision was taken a day before the last NEC meeting, where Odigie-Oyegun and others were given 12 more months in office.
President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the NEC meeting.
Rising from a Consultative Forum held at the State House in Marina, Lagos and attended by party elders from across the state, the leaders said the extension of the tenure of Odigie-Oyegun and his executives by one year was against the spirit of the country’s and APC’s constitutions.
Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides for periodical election on a democratic basis for principal officers and members of the executive committee of political parties.
According to the constitution, election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party will be deemed to be periodical if done at regular intervals not exceeding four years.
Article 17 of the party’s constitution also provides for a four-year tenure for its national and state executives, which is renewable for another four years.
The Lagos State Central Senatorial District Leader of the party, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, spoke with journalists after the consultative forum.
Olusi said: “We have taken reports of the state APC chairman in respect of the NEC meeting held in Abuja.
“We have also had the privilege of receiving great reports from our leader from the reconciliation committee.
“We have considered the issue of extension of tenure and we are of the firm belief that the decision is a breach of the constitution of our party and of the country.
“We are against the elongation of tenure.
“We shall continue to make our decision known to the party and to the president”.
The tenure of Odigie-Oyegun and his executives is due to expire in June this year.
Section 223 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, specifically states: (1)The Constitution and rules of a political party shall
(a) provide for the periodical election on a democratic basis of the principal officers and members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party; and
(b) ensure that the members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party reflect the federal character of Nigeria
(2) For the purposes of this section –
(a) the election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party shall be deemed to be periodical only if it is made at regular intervals not exceeding four years; and…”
In extending the tenure, the APC National Executive Committee had relied on Article 13.3 (ii) of its constitution, which states that the NEC can discharge the functions of the convention in a period of emergency.
Article 13.3 (ii) of APC Constitution specifically states that the NEC of the party is empowered to:
“Discharge all functions of the National Conventions as constituted in between Conventions.”
But the provision in Article 13.3 (ii) is not limitless and open-ended. It is a responsibility restricted by the same constitution, which provides exclusively under Article 30 (i) that: “This Constitution and Schedules hereto can be amended only by the National Convention of the Party.”
The party’s constitution provides the processes for constitution amendment.
Article 30: “(ii) Notice of any proposed amendment by any member or organ of the Party shall be given to the National Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days before the date of the National Convention. The notice, which shall be in writing, shall contain a clear statement of the proposed amendment and reasons thereof.
(iii) Notice of proposed amendment(s) shall be served on the members of the National Convention at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered. Publication of the notice of the proposed amendments in a National Newspaper shall be deemed to be sufficient Notice.
(iv)The Constitution or any part thereof shall stand amended if a proposed amendment is supported by at least two thirds of the delegates present and voting.
(v) Where new positions and Offices are created as a result of the amendment of this Constitution, the relevant Executive Committee shall until the next Convention or Congress fill such positions and office in an interim capacity.”