Why APC can't hold emergency NEC meeting, acting chairman Hilliard Eta reveals

In the wake of the All Progressives Congress' crisis, acting chairman Hilliard Eta has revealed an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting can not hold.

The party members, including Deputy Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, had urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd) to make the move for the NEC meeting to resolve the crisis.

Eta, however, in an address on Sunday stated that the meeting would violate the COVID-19 pandemic protocol prohibiting public gatherings if it holds at this time.

“I do not believe there is anybody afraid or scared of convening NEC meeting. For those who want to build this party, who want this party to outlast this present government, they are such in number that there is no fear of convening NEC meeting,” he said.

“What has been militating against constituting NEC meeting in the recent past is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic that has stopped everybody from gathering more than a certain number of persons.

“As you are all aware, we have over 120 members of NEC and it would amount to breaking the COVID-19 protocol as established by the Nigerian authorities prohibiting gathering of more than 50 people at a time. It will take our breaking that protocol for us to have a NEC meeting,” he said.

He, however, added that if it turns out that the party can have a waiver to convene the NEC, it could explore that, adding that nobody is afraid of having NEC meeting.

“There is no way the ruling party will voluntarily disobey or break rules it is part of making,” he insisted.