The National Vice President (Northwest) of the Congress of All Progressives (APC), Salihu Lukman on Thursday he dragged national president Abdullahi Adamu and national secretary Iyiola Omisore before a court for their refusal to convene a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Lukman in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari explained why he dragged the duo to court.
According to Lukman, he had no choice as his call to abide by the party constitution was ignored.
The letter was addressed to President-elect Bola Tinubu, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) through its Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu, and members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
Lukman, who commissioned President Buhari to see the April 5 letter he (Lukman) wrote to Adamu, said he made nine demands seeking immediate compliance with provisions of the party constitution bordering on accountability.
He said, “The ninth lawsuit sought a demonstration of commitment to restore constitutional order in the party through the initiation of actions, including calling for a meeting of the NEC National Labor Committee within two weeks from April 5, 2023.
“As the two weeks expired and steps were taken to demonstrate any commitment to restoring constitutional order within the party, on April 19, 2023, I wrote an open letter to Senator Adamu with the subject ‘Restoration of constitutional order in APC – Non-Negotiable ‘, in which I gave another week within which steps must be taken to convene a meeting of our party’s NEC National Executive Committee before May 29, 2023.
“The seven days expired on April 26, 2023, and again, there is no indication that any action is being taken to convene an NEC meeting. The NWC has yet to meet on any of the issues raised.
“Therefore, I have proceeded to initiate a legal action, seeking to compel Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore, respectively APC National Chairman and National Secretary, to comply with the party affairs management requirements enshrined in provisions from APC. Constitution”
Meanwhile, Lukman in the lawsuit launched at the Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday through his lawyer, Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi. Esq., APC was listed as the first defendant, while Adamu, Omisore, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as the second, third, and fourth defendants, respectively.
Among the questions for determination are “if, according to the provisions of Articles 13.4 (iv) and 25.2 of the APC Constitution, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants are not required to convene or cause to be convened and held quarterly or at the request of a third of the members of the APC National Executive Committee (“NEC”) the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee at which Defendants will present a quarterly financial report on APC’s income and expenses to the members of the National Executive Committee.
“Either by the provisions of Article 13.4 (vi) and 25.2 of the APC Constitution, Defendants 1, 2 and 3 are not required to convene or cause to be convened and held quarterly or at the request of one third of the members of the APC National Executive Committee (“NEC”) the APC National Executive Committee meeting at which Defendants will present proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to Party offices at all levels, and the procedure for the selection of the Party candidates for elective offices, including the selection and zoning of the leadership of the National Assembly to the members of the National Executive Committee”.
On the determination that Lukman seeks among others, “a statement that under the provisions of articles 13.4(iv) and 25.2 of the APC Constitution, the first, second and third defendants are required to convene or cause to be convened and held quarterly or at the request of a third of the members of the APC National Executive Committee (“NEC”) the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee at which Defendants will present a quarterly financial report on the income and expenses of APC to the members of the National Executive Committee”.
“A statement that, as provided in Article 13.4 (vi) and 25.2 of the APC Constitution, Defendants 1, 2 and 3 are required to convene or cause to be convened and held quarterly or at the request of one third of the members of the APC National Executive Committee (“NEC”) the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee at which Defendants will present the proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to Party offices at all levels, and the procedure for the selection of Party candidates for elective offices, including the selection and zoning of the leadership of the National Assembly to the members of the National Executive Committee.
“An order directing/instructing Defendants 1st, 2nd and 3rd to immediately convene or cause to be convened and held the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC to present the activities of the Party from the date of the last meeting of the NEC which was held on April 28, 2022 to the last meeting of the National Labor Committee which was held on April 17, 2023.”
