The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared February 26 as the date of its all important and much anticipated national convention where leading officers of the party would be selected.

There had been speculations that the convention had been fixed for February 25, after Governors on the party’s platform decided to stick with February as the month for the event.

The Governor of Yobe state and Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni made this known on Tuesday during the National Progressives Women Conference with the theme “One Voice, Women Uniting for Progress.

“As the theme suggests, l am confident that this Conference will unveil issues that would improve the fortunes of our party, the All Progressives Congress and to support the government of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, in its commitment to improve the lives of Nigerians.

The women group no doubt constitute a large proportion of Nigeria’s population therefore, your role in nation building, political and socio-economic development of our country cannot be over emphasized. Today, Nigeria proudly parades a good number of women at the Federal and state levels, as well as in political offices serving with excellence. Politically, women have always played key roles in our electioneering process and administration. You remain the best and most reliable mobilizers of support to any political party and its candidates. You have always been there on queue on election days.

I therefore want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your support to the party before, during and after the exercise. I also look forward to your more support during the convention and indeed during the general elections. I am proud to add that, APC is the most women friendly party in Nigeria.

Buni said the APC will be favourably disposed to Women and youths in the coming 2023 jotsle fo party tickets.

“The roles you played made the membership registration and revalidation exercise a huge success. Today, APC parades over 41 million registered members, asserting our position as Africa’s largest political party and of course, Nigeria’s leading political party. With this, we are confident of winning the 2023 general with huge success. Let me also assure you that the party shall reciprocate this kind gesture by supporting women and youth in their political aspirations, and to realize their political dreams. We look forward to having more women contesting in the forthcoming National Convention of the party and the 2023 general elections.

Governors elected on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, had met on Sunday night and resolved that the party’s convention must hold in February.

The APC has been unable to hold a convention and elect new national leaders since its former leadership, led by Adams Oshiomhole, was sacked in 2020. The party has since been led by an interim management committee led by the Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni.

At their meeting Sunday, the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), an umbrella body of APC governors gave assurance that the party’s national convention will hold in February.

Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and Chairman of the PGF gave the assurance while speaking with journalists at the end of a closed-door meeting.

Mr Bagudu, who did not give a specific date for the event, said the February date as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari was sacrosanct and still feasible for the conduct of the event.

He added that the APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), as an organ of the party, was in the best position to announce the specific date for the convention.

The chaotic congresses and the concomitant inability to hold the national convention for the election of a new substantive executive has been causing great tension in the party, leading to the resignation on Monday of the Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman.