By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA— The forthcoming national convention of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is already raising dusts, following alleged removal of members of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, bloc from the convention planning committee.

APC

At the inauguration of the convention sub-committees, yesterday in Abuja, it was gathered that some members dropped from the committee had launched a protest, accusing the Presidency of doctoring the list.

Although it was not immediately clear the names of those who were dropped, it was gathered that several names initially published by the party had been removed on the orders of the Presidency, which yesterday left some of the members disappointed in Abuja, during the inauguration of sub-committees by  Governor  Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.

One of the protesting APC chieftains, who pleaded not to be named, said:  “We were told that the wife of the President sent in about 50 names to be replaced from the original list.”

Also, members of staff of the national secretariat of the party were seen grumbling over their fate as they said they were not carried along in the process leading to the convention.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, was not immediately available for comments

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the inauguration, Badaru said the date of the convention was still undecided as some of his committee members had now suggested that the convention be held on June 23 as opposed to the June 2 many had initially thought the exercise would hold.

“It was suggested today (yesterday) that we should have the convention on June 23 but we will have to discuss it with the national secretariat to confirm the date,” he said.

Budget for the convention

Badaru also dismissed concerns that his committee was planning to spend about N6 billion on the convention, adding that “we are raising it (the money) among the party members and they have started donating.

‘’I am very sure it is very far less than that.  Tomorrow (today), we are getting all the budgets from all the sub-committees but I can assure you that it is far less. Knowing me and knowing what I stand for, you will know that it will be the cheapest convention ever.”