THE August 27 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held by a faction of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) notwithstanding, the Edwin Ume-Ezeoke-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, on Thursday, held a parallel NEC meeting to re-establish its leadership in the party.

The meeting took place in Abuja where four major motions were presented to the NEC for approval.

The NEC approved a nine-member transition management committee to take charge of the administration of the party after the expiration of tenure of the outgoing NWC members.

Alhaji Abdurrahman Adamu and Alhaji Rasak Folorunsho were selected as chairman and the secretary of the committee.

Also, the NEC approved the dissolution of  the standing convention committee and constituted a new one with 20 members, to be headed by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe.

The outgoing national chairman, Chief Ume-Ezeoke, said the constitution of the party made it mandatory that executive members, at every level, must remain in office for a four-year term.

The national secretary, Senator Sa’idu Kumo, announced that former National Republican Convention (NRC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, had written to the ANPP to intimate the party of his interest to contest for the presidential ticket.

Kumo said the six members of the transition committee set up by the parallel NEC had been suspended for three months, pending the recommendation of the disciplinary committee looking into their matter.

In a swift reaction, the parallel NEC that sacked Ume-Ezeoke’s national leadership on August 27,  said their suspension was “laughable.”

The spokesman of the group, Chief Vitalis Ajumbe, said any decision or meeting called by them was illegal.