Barely 48 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission
released its timetable for the 2015 general elections, the opposition All
Progressives Congress, has released its proposed convention schedule.
It was gathered in Abuja, on Sunday, that the party’s National
Convention is scheduled to hold on Saturday, April 26.
It was learnt that the document titled “Proposed timetable of activities
of the Interim Executive Committee” was prepared during the 8th ordinary
meeting of the APC, held last Thursday.
The document, which was made available to members was obtained by one of
our correspondents.
It also listed a number of activities which would take place at all
levels before the party’s candidates for the forthcoming elections would
emerge.
According to the document, the training of local government’s
supervisors (for membership registration), will hold from January 27 to 28; the
training of ward supervisors will hold from January 30 to 31, while the
training of polling unit registration officers has been scheduled for
between February 1 and 3.
The dispatch of registration materials to states will also take place as
from January 27 to February 2, while the registration of members will
commence on February 5 and end on February 10.
Registered members, the document added, were expected to return the
duplicate of their membership cards as from February 13 to 18.
According to the document, February 3 to 7 has been slated for the
setting up of Appeal Committees while the dispatch of all congress materials to
states will take place from March 10 to 13.
“Ward congresses are to hold across the country on March 15, while
appeals arising from the congresses will take place as from March 17 to 19
2014.
“Saturday March 22, has been set aside for local government congresses
while appeals arising from them are to be considered as from March 24 to 26.
“State congresses are to hold on Saturday, March 29 while appeals will
be considered as from March 31 t0 April 2, 2014,” the document added.
The party has yet to come out with a template on how the party’s
candidates will emerge.
When contacted, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was too early for him to comment on the INEC
timetable, because the party needed to meet to take a decision.
Mohammed said, “INEC has just released its timetable; the party will
have to meet first. We can’t rush to make a statement now without meeting.”
In a related development, INEC has defended its decision to release a
time-table for the 2015 elections when party primaries are expected to hold in
October.
Responding to inquiries, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman,
Mr. Kayode Idowu, said, “Have we committed an offence? There is no law against
releasing it the way we did.”