Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has insisted that Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State is the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Uzodimma maintained that despite the activities at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, Buni will resume as national chairman as soon as he returns to the country from Dubai. The Imo governor declared that the national chairman cannot be removed from office without due process.
Uzodinma was voted to have declared: “APC is a very serious party.
“Everything going on at the secretariat now are going on with the knowledge of Mai Mala Buni. And as soon as he comes back, he will also take over the realms of the party.”
Uzodimma asserted that to remove Buni, “the right organ of the party to take and implement such decisions is the National Executive Committee. Have we summoned that committee? Because if we do, INEC will be invited to observe. And if they observe, whatever decision taken will be known to them.”
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State who was written by Buni to act in his absence had plotted to enthrone himself as the APC CECPC national chairman with the support of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and other APC governors.
The plot to overthrow Buni failed after INEC had rejected a notice from Governor Bello of an emergency meeting of the APC NEC, citing scheduling the NEC meeting outside the 21 days time frame, including the letter not signed by appropriate officials of the party’s leadership, the national chairman and national secretary.