Murtala Nyako, a former governor of Adamawa state, and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned of the imminent downfall of the party.
He said the extension of tenure of the party’s leadership may lead to the party’s downfall.
The party extended the tenure of the national working committee (NWC) led by John Oyegun by 12 months.
Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, had said the extension would take effect from June 30 and was necessary considering the time left for the party to conduct its congresses and conventions.
Speaking in Yola, Adamawa state capital, while addressing a group of APC supporters, on Saturday, Nyako described the tenure extension as undemocratic and unconstitutional.
He said the party currently lacks due process and that there is need to put it in order ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Nyako said unless justice and rule of law is entrenched in the APC, the party risks being defeated in the 2019 elections, as experienced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
On the tenure elongation of the party’s NWC, the former governor said: “Even if a mechanic takes APC to court today over the unconstitutional and undemocratic tenure extension of party officials, it is very clear that the court can lock the national secretariat of the party.
“If there is no convention in APC before the general election, the party may become a spectator instead of a participant.”
Timi Frank, former deputy national publicity secretary of the party, had criticised the tenure extension, saying it shows the APC is an “undemocratic party. ”
The Lagos state chapter of the party had also criticised the tenure extension, saying it is against Nigeria’s constitution.
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