Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The tenure of the caretaker/extraordinary national convention planning committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been extended by six months.
The tenure extension was announced following a meeting of the APC national executive council (NEC) held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, briefed state house correspondents on the development after the meeting.
Speaking at the NEC meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari commended the caretaker committee for its efforts.
“What is required now is for all of us as leaders of the party to maintain discipline and ensure that this new momentum is protected, sustained and the decisions of party organs are respected by every member,” the president said.
“Despite the challenge to restore peace in the party and the series of elections at hand, the fact that we have gained more members and that we are not losing members to the opposition under the present interim leadership, indicates improvement of the party.
“In fact, we have begun to win back our members who left us and other notable political leaders are being attracted to our party.”
The Buni-led caretaker committee was appointed a June 2020, following the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as APC national chairman by a court in March 2020.
The Oshiomhole-led national working committee was also dissolved following a leadership tussle.
Meanwhile, Oshiomhole, in a statement on Monday, said he has instructed his lawyers to withdraw the suit challenging his suspension.
“That chapter of my political life is closed. Even if another NEC decision or a court order reverses the dissolution, with utmost humility I will decline to return as APC chairman,” Oshiomhole said.
