Fresh Crisis Hits APC As Buni Caretaker Committee Is Dragged To Court

The crisis affecting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) worsened on Tuesday as a member of the party approached the court to dissolve the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led national caretaker/extraordinary national convention planning committee of the party.

The member, Okosisi Ngwu in a suit filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said the existence of a national caretaker/extraordinary national convention planning committee is alien to the constitution of the party.

He, therefore, seeks a court order dissolving the caretaker committee as well as a nullification of last Saturday’s congresses held across the country by the APC.

The case marked FCT/HC/ CV/1824/2021 and dated August 2, 2021, has all members of the caretaker committee as defendants.

Ngwu argued in the suit filed by his lawyer, Chief Oba Maduabuchi, that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of a political party can choose a date and conduct congresses, and convention as well as primaries for the nomination of the gubernatorial or other candidates of the political party.

According to him, “After just two years, I was surprised to hear that the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee had been dissolved and a contraption known as Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee had been created by an unknown person and Mai Mala Buni asked unilaterally to head the committee. “That I was surprised as by the constitution of the party, the National Executive Committee would be in office for four years until June 22, 2022. 

“That my supporters and I also knew that only a duly elected National Executive Committee could validly hold any primaries to nominate candidates for the party for the various elections to be held between the day of the dissolution of both the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee. 

“That the CECPC is unknown to our party’s constitution and it is operating without reference to the party’s constitution.”

Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the resignation of seven members of its National Working Committee (NWC).

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party is not happy about the resignation of the NWC members.

According to Ologbondiyan, the party acknowledges the concerns raised by the members in their letters.