Youth leader must not be above 35
BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally released the long awaited approved schedule of activities and guidelines for the conduct of the party’s nationwide ward congresses slated for Saturday, July 31, 2021, with a proviso that all persons vying for the position of youth leader must be persons aged between 18-35years.
The party also granted waivers to new members and returning executives to contest the ward congress which shall consist of all registered members of the party in the ward including all newly registered members from the updated 2021 Party Membership Register to participate in the ward congress.
The National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, indicated in a statement on Sunday that purchase of nomination forms for Ward, Local Government/Area Councils and State Congresses will take place from 19th July to 28th August, 2021.
Screening of aspirants for ward positions is scheduled for July 29th to 30th July. Ward Congresses will hold 31st July. Appeals arising from ward congresses will hold August 2nd to 7th.
“In line with Article 11:A sub-section (i-xiii) and article 16(i) of the Party’s Constitution (as Amended), the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be organising its congresses across the 36 states and FCT to elect its Wards, Local Governments and States Officials. Only Wards and Local Government Areas stipulated in Sections 156 of the Electoral Act and in part I&II of the First Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as Amended) are recongised.”
The statement further noted that the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the Party, in a bid to ensure open, credible and fair congresses that reflect the sanctity of internal democracy in the Party, issued a guiding regulation for the nationwide congresses of the party adding.
“It is binding on all persons coordinating and participating in all Congresses.”
“Each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) shall for the purpose of the Party’s 2021 congresses have a committee of 7 persons who are to be selected based on their proven integrity.”
According to the guidelines, they shall be appointed and supervised by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC). This committee shall be referred to as the Ward Congress Committee (WCC). The members of the committees will be posted to places outside their states of recruitment and it shall be composed of a Chairman, Secretary and five other members, one of whom shall be a woman (where possible) whereas the committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the Ward congress exercise in their place of posting.
“The Ward Congress Committee shall appoint three persons from any other part of the State other than the Ward in which they will serve (to be referred as Local Ward Congress Committee (LWCC) who shall be responsible for the conduct of the Screening/Congress in their assigned Ward under the directives/supervision of the WCC. The WCC shall ensure that the exercise is all-inclusive.”
