Constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay, has hailed the removal of Governor Mai Buni as interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a good omen for the party.
Sagay, who is Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), emphasized it as a healthy development for the party.
The law professor, while speaking with journalists, said with Buni’s removal, the APC can now make progress and look forward to conducting a proper national convention.
Although the party settled for March 26 to conduct its convention, all has not been well within its fold over shoddy preparations for the exercise, which has witnessed several postponements.
Sagay said: “I believe Buni’s removal is a very healthy development for the APC. Now, we can look forward to a proper convention for the election of the new party leadership. After that, we can have a proper convention for the primaries.
“Buni is a man who has too many axes to grind and instead of working for the interest of the party which asked him to do a six months job but he turned it into a permanent job. He had too many unknown agenda which he was slowly carrying out”.
“So, it was clear to all that he was no longer operating on behalf of the party but for his selfish interests. His removal to me is good news and I believe we can now make progress as a party.”
Sagay, in an interview last week, had singled out Buni and John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary of the committee, as persons to be held responsible if the party loses the 2023 presidential election.
Sagay had also alleged that Buni is plotting to preside over the convention and presidential primary of the party so as to hand over the ticket to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is yet to join the APC, with him (Buni) as running mate.
There were also insinuations that if the plan sails through and Jonathan wins the election, he will hand over to Buni after four years.
Meanwhile, Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has taken actions in a manner that suggests he is now at the party’s helm.
Bello presided over the meeting of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee held on Monday at the party National Secretariat.
He arrived at the party’s National Secretariat accompanied by some members of the APC CECPC.
With him were former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; women representative in CECPC, Stella Okotete; Youth Leader, Ismail Ahmed, and Mr. David Lyon, the former governorship candidate in Bayelsa State.
Also in attendance were Professor Tahir Mamman, National Secretary of the Caretaker team, who had earlier issued a statement asking party faithful to disregard the removal of Governor Buni as Chairman, APC CECPC.
Bello also took charge of the oath-taking by the State chairmen of the party.