APC sets up constitution review committee

“We want to come up with a constitution that will strengthen our institutions and organs of the party, rather than strengthening an individual,’’ Banire said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday in Abuja, constituted a 10- man committee to review its constitution ahead of its mid-term, non-elective National Convention slated for April.

Inaugurating the committee headed by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire (SAN), National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, specifically charged it to address three key issues namely the review of functions of the party’s Board of Trustees, (BoT), discipline/internal democracy and membership requirements, adding that the decision to review the party`s constitution was taken at its last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Other members include Governors Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), FCT Minister, Musa Mohammed Bello, Senate Whip, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, Representative Asabe Valida Bashir and Vice Chairman, North West of the APC, Inuwa Abdulkadir, to serve as the secretary.

On party discipline, the national chair said it was necessary to curb the activities of those he called “problem people” within the party whose activities have tended to portray them as above the party structure, noting that the committee had a duty to recommend how to speedily curb their activities.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the decision was particularly taken to review aspects of the party`s existing constitution which did not really address issues of disciplinary measures to be taken against erring members as well as membership requirement.

According to him, the kind of Board of Trustee (BoT) the party should have by way of nomenclature also came up at its last NEC meeting.

Oyegun said with the party`s present constitution, it was difficult to institute disciplinary proceedings against erring members.

He expressed optimism that at the end of the exercise, the party would have a more focused constitution in terms of objectives.

The APC national chairman urged members of the committee to use the opportunity to look at other aspects of the constitution that should be reviewed.

This, he said, should be done with a view to cementing the processes and provisions of the constitution to permanently institutionalise internal democracy as a focus for the party.

He also called on APC members across the country to use the opportunity to make submissions to the committee on aspects of the party`s constitution they wanted reviewed.

“All members who have any idea as to changes they want to see in the party`s constitution should please avail the opportunity and let us have their proposal.”

This, Oyegun said, was critical to enable the party`s leadership prepare such proposals for presentation to the convention.

He called the committee members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence, posterity and come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time, given the party`s experience and the country`s economy.

The APC national chairman further said that the committee was unique because of its composition which include Governors, Ministers, legislators and some members of the party`s National Working Committee (NWC).

“It is a committee that embraces all facets, both from the APC and APC in government.

“We hope that at the end of your task, we will have a constitution for the party that addresses our issues today and looks into the future.”

He further said that the committee was expected to complete the task by the end of February, to enable the party`s leadership circulate the constitution to members before the convention.

This, he said, was to enable party members study the constitution ahead of the midterm, non-elective national convention.

He prayed God to grant the committee members the wisdom to discharge their responsibilities dutifully.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Muis Banire in his response, assured that members would discharge their responsibilities “speedily and diligently” devoid of personal considerations.

“We will be objective in whatever recommendation we are putting forward, regardless of our personnel interest,’’ he said.

This, he said, was to ensure that the committee comes up with a constitution that would endure and be a functional document to address the party`s past and present challenges.

He also expressed optimism that the committee would look into the future of the party with a view to anticipating eventualities.

“We want to come up with a constitution that will strengthen our institutions and organs of the party, rather than strengthening an individual,’’ Banire said.