Breaking: PGF DG resigns over APC national convention controversy
Dr Salihu Lukman, Director-General Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) has resigned his position following division among All Progressives Congress (APC) governors over the conduct of the party’s planned National Convention.
A reliable source in Lukman’s office confirmed the development to Newsatlarge on Monday in Abuja.
The source said governors elected on APC platform on the platform of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) were sharply divided over the party’s national convention at their meeting on Sunday night.
Lukman, among other APC critical stakeholders had in the last weeks, publicly engaged the APC Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) over its failure to announce a date for the party’s national convention.
The PGF DG recently accused the Buni-led committee of not telling Nigerians and the party’s members the truth about the conduct of the APC national convention as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2021.
He had also asked the committee members to resign if they could not conduct the convention to elect new National Working Committee (NWC) members to manage the party’s affairs which was presently being managed by the CECPC.
“This is most unfortunate. The truth must be told, the responsibility of organising the February 2022 APC National Convention rests squarely with the CECPC,’’ he had said.
The source said while majority of the governors opposed to the pressure to force Lukman’s resignation, few of the governors insisted that he should go.
Lukman had earlier said that the first challenge in addressing APC’s leadership issues was to ensure that the CECPC had no option but to organise the national convention in February as decided based on the consultations that had taken place.
While the CECPC said it was still consulting on the issue, Lukman said consultations about organising the convention ended with the meeting with President Buhari on Nov. 22, 2021.
“The CECPC should stop claiming that it is waiting for the meeting of Progressive Governors before it takes all the necessary decisions to commence the process of organising the convention.
“Such a claim is not only dishonest, but also taking the support of Progressive Governors for granted,’’ he had said.
According to him, this was why progressive governors have been reduced to punching bags of all party members regarding the challenges facing the party.
He stressed that progressive governors, like all party members would not associate themselves with any act of disrespect to decisions validly taken in consultations with President Buhari.
“They will not take the responsibility of actions or inactions of the CECPC. Every responsibility of organising the convention is vested with the CECPC.
“Therefore, in the event that the CECPC is unable to implement the decision to hold the convention in February 2022, as decided.
“Its leadership should honorably resign to save the APC, its leaders, and progressive governors and members from the current spate of avoidable public embarrassment,’’ he said.
Effort to speak with the PGF boss was unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. (https://newsatlarge.ng)