Only NEC can remove Buni as APC chairman – Gov Uzodinma

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, says only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) can remove Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

Uzodinma was speaking in a Channels TV Programme, Politics Today on Monday, which was monitored by our correspondent.

“The Chairman of APC CECPC is Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, the governor of Yobe state. He is the chairman of the party and is there by the mandate of the National Executive Committee (NEC). He travelled for medical and Gov Sani Bello is acting for him for now. As soon as he comes back, he will resume.

“It is the decision of NEC and once NEC has taken a decision, not even one man can change it unless NEC meets again to take another decision. For now, until NEC meets, that’s’ why I am not surprised that INEC wrote that letter that he is the one to sign. He is really the one to sign because before he will be changed, there will be another meeting of NEC to rescind the decision to appoint him,” the Imo governor said.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari, being a law-abiding man would not give any order for Buni to be removed from office without due process followed.

“Our party is a rule-driven party, the constitution of APC is binding on all of us as members and that is what we will follow. And Mr President that I know is a man that believes in the rule of law. I cannot see President Muhammadu Buhari support anything that is illegal, anything that is not consistent with due process,” he added.

On Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that President Buhari gave the governors a marching order to replace Buni, Uzodinma said: “Assuming but not conceding to the fact that the president supported the removal of Buni, he didn’t say we should not follow due process; it should be tailored to the NEC. So, the first thing to do is to convene a NEC meeting. The president would never support any illegality. So the modus operandi is to do thing consistent with the law.

“When he said ‘we’ who are we? The right organ of the party to take decision is the NEC. Have we summoned that committee? Buni is coming back and as soon as he comes back, he will authorize a NEC meeting, that’s the position of the president.”