The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, extended Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee’s (NWC) tenure by one year.

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the party’s NEC meeting in Abuja and said that the extension was from June, 2018.

Bello said that the decision was taken in line with the party´s Constitution, and explained that it was to ensure that peace prevailed within the party hierarchy.

“Considering the time left for the party to conduct all the congresses, we cannot afford to approach general elections with more dispute and crisis.

“So, relying on Article 13 of our Constitution, which empowers the NEC to carry out the function of the convention, the NEC has decided to extend the tenure of the current NWC,” he said.

Bello explained that the tenure extension included the party´s other executive committees at various levels.

He, however, pointed out that the decision would not prevent the party´s non-elective National Convention from holding in July as slated.

“Let me tell you that this will not stop the convention of the party, but to go into elective congresses is what we are trying to avoid,” he said.

The national convention usually provides avenue for the party to ratify its policies and programmes, elect or remove members of its NWC and amend its Constitution if need be, among other things.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tenure of the current NWC will expire in June.

Before now, there were issues on whether the committee should continue or be replaced.

The party has been unable to hold its mandatory bi-annual non-elective convention since 2014 as stipulated in its Constitution.

Article 25 (A)(i) of the APC Constitution specifically stipulates that the national convention of the party shall be held once in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by its NEC. (NAN)