President Muhammadu Buhari has approved February 2022 for the conduct of the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, announced this on Monday in Abuja.

He briefed State House Correspondents after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa.

Governor Bagudu was accompanied to the Villa by the Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.

He told State House Correspondents that the meeting was to brief the President on the decision of the Progressives Governors’ Forum when the members met on Sunday night.

According to Bagudu, the governors resolved that the convention should hold in February 2022 and the same suggestion was proposed to the President for approval.

He, however, stated that that party’s leadership has yet to decide on a specific date to conduct its national convention.

The governor said the party would notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while it works out a timetable.

Bagudu, who was not specific on the exact date for the convention in February, said the convention was shifted because four states were yet to complete their congresses.

He said: “Yesterday, November 21, the Progressive Governors’ Forum met, where we congratulated and thanked the Caretaker Committee for working so hard in leading the party. We also thanked the President for supporting them to deliver on their mandate.

“I also explained that the Progressive Governors’ Forum discussed the issue of national convention of the party and they mandated us to come and discuss with the President as the party’s leader to give the input of the governors so that the party and the President will consider.

“Part of the inputs we got yesterday was that we still have four states which are in the process of completing their congresses like Anambra; understandably because of the recent gubernatorial election, Zamfara and two others, because of logistic challenges and then, Christmas is around the corner and early January we will be very busy with Ekiti.

“So, the governors, based on all these, suggested the party and the President should graciously consider February and the President is favourably disposed to the suggestion.”

The National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mai Mala Buni, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said: “The Progressive Governors’ Forum after their meeting, has suggested February to the party and the President has concurred so we are going ahead to plan for the convention in February.

“Nigerians should expect more unity and progress as a result of the forthcoming convention.”

On insinuations in some quarters that he might be delaying the convention to extend his tenure as the Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Buni said: “Am I a jobless person who is always trying to extend his tenure; to do what? I have my primary responsibility as a governor to go back to my state and carry out my primary responsibility.

“What I am here to do is adhoc and of course to reposition the party and that is exactly what we have been able to achieve.”

Governor Buni took over the APC leadership in June 2020 following the dissolution of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.