The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, delegated some of its vital powers to the National Working Committee (NWC).
The powers are the ones relating to nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections as well as disciplinary actions against organs and members of the party and the implementation of its timetable for the 2023.
The APC NEC is the highest organ of the Party.
The body has at its ongoing Emergency meeting in Abuja, had gifted 25 -member NWC, which included the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the powers for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections as well as disciplinary actions against organs and members.
According to the arrangement, the NWC is now in charge of taking all actions relating to implementing its timetable for the 2023 general elections without being answerable to the NEC,the highest decision-making organ of the party.
The NEC of the party sat and during a recent emergency meeting and endorsed some of its decisions as they relate to nomination of candidates and allied matters.
It was disclosed that all the motions and suggestions presented by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, were all accepted and approved by the NEC’s Wednesday meeting.
The Network gathered that the motion which led to the devolution of the important powers of the Party’s NEC was moved by the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and was seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila.
It was learned that the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai made an amendment to the motion arguing that the powers of NEC, which it gifted to the NWC be limited to only 90 days adding that it shouldn’t be for a long time. He said it should be for the ‘’time being’’ as in the introductory part of the motion moved by Lawan.
It was gathered that the President of the Senate, moved the motion for the delegation of powers to the
NWC to ‘‘conduct seamless primaries for the nomination of our party’s candidates; the National Working Committee has resolved to convene and emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee pursuant to Article 25(2), (ii) for the consideration of the party’s timetable for the conducts of its primary election and other allied matters.’’
Senator Lawan further explained that “The powers of NEC under Article 13(3)(ii)(iii) (iv)(v)(vi): respectively be vested in the NWC for the time being as follows:
”The NEC devolves it powers to NWC as enshrined in Articles 13.3 (ii) of the APC Constitution to ‘’discharge all functions of the National Convention as constituted in between Conventions.’
”That the NEC devolves its power to NWC as enshrined in Article 13.3(iv) of the APC Constitution, to ‘’consider reports from National, State and Local Government Area/Area Councils Chapters of the Party and take such decisions as are necessary to protect, advance, and consolidate the gains and interest of the Party.
”That the NEC devolves its powers to NWC as enshrined in Article 13,3(v) of the APC Constitution, to ‘’Exercise control and take disciplinary actions on all organs, officers, and members of the Party and determine appeals brought before it by any member or organ of the party.
”That the NEC devolves its power to NWC as enshrined in Article 13.3(v) of the APC Constitution, to ‘’create, elect and appoint any committee it may deem necessary, desirable or expedient and assign to them such powers and functions as it may deem fit and proper. I so move.’’