Mai Mala Buni, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has confirmed February 26 as the ruling party’s convention date.

Buni made the announcement on Tuesday at the National Progressive Women’s Conference in Abuja.

The Yobe state governor said the women in the APC played a key role in the success of the party’s recent membership drive.

He said: “The party under my stewardship conducted membership registration and revalidation exercise. We found it expedient to constitute a special committee on women and youth before the commencement of the exercise. The roles you played made the membership registration and revalidation a huge success.

“Today, APC parades over 41 million registered members, asserting our position as Africa’s largest political party and of course, Nigeria’s leading political party. With these, we are confident of winning the 2023 general election with huge success.

“I want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your support to the party, before during and after the exercise. I also look forward to your more support during the convention and indeed the general election.

“I’m proud to add that APC is the most women-friendly party in Nigeria. Let me also assure you that the party shall reciprocate this gesture by supporting women and youth in their political aspirations and realising their political dreams.

“We look forward to having more women contesting in the forthcoming national convention of the party from February 26, 2022, and the general election. Now as we approach the convention and move closer to the next general election, I wish to remind you of the progressive roles in supporting progressive-minded leaders, aspiring for various offices for the betterment of our country.”

Also speaking, Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti state governor, called for the support of the female members of the party ahead of the convention.

“Without our women, we have no future. We have no present or past. We have a duty and responsibility to improve on solidarity that we give the women of our country,” the governor said.

“We are not doing them a favour. If you have worked with women, they deliver. My women commissioners are the best commissioners.

“I have no doubt that this conference will give us a lot to chew on. We should make it a policy convention.”

The Cable