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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The crisis rocking the National Working Committed (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) assumed a new dimension as the party’s national vice chairman (North West), Salihu Lukman, sued the national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu over alleged abuse of the party’s constitution.
Recall that Lukman had given Adamu a seven-day ultimatum to summon a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which is the second highest decision-making organ of the party or risk legal action.
The suit, which was filed on Thursday, has Adamu, the party’s national secretary, Iyiola Omisore, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants.
In the suit instituted at the Federal High Court in Abuja by his counsel, Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi Esq, Lukman is asking the court to order the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to immediately convene NEC meeting of the APC for the purpose of presenting the activities of the party from the date of the last NEC meeting on April 28, 2022, to the last meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), which held on April 17, 2023.
Lukman, a former Director-General of the Progressive Governnors’ Forum (PGF) is also seeking an order of court, directing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to present the procedure for selecting party candidates for elective offices, including the selection and zoning of leadership of the national assembly to NEC members.
The NWC member is equally asking the court for “a declaration that by the provisions of Articles 13.4 (iv) and 25.2 of the APC Constitution, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants are under an obligation to call for or cause to be called and held quarterly or at the request of one-third of members of the NEC of the APC at which the defendants shall present quarterly financial report on income and expenditure of the APC to the members of the NEC.”
We need peaceful, smooth transition of power- Adamu
Meanwhile, the APC national chairman, Adamu, has said Nigeria needs a peaceful and smooth transition of power on May 29.
He spoke at the party’s national secretariat on Thursday, when some Nigerians under the aegis of The Natives, led by Hon. Olalekan Smart Edwards, paid him a visit.
He said: “We want your continued support for us and the incoming government. We want your support to ensure that our transition is smooth and peaceful.
“We want President Muhammadu Buhari to hand over safely on May 29. Buhari has led us to this victory and one way we can pay him is to ensure that he has a very peaceful exit.
“The support of every one of you is required. As you were in the campaigns so you will be during the governance. It is my hope that God in his infinite mercy and wisdom will protect all of us. I hope that by the time we are in, I will see more of you.”
Earlier, Edwards said; “We, as a pro-democracy and anti-sabotage group, are here in continuation of the advancement of our common goal of one indivisible Nigeria under God.”