All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu has described the appointment of national officers of the party as illegal.
He called on leaders of the party to intervene in what he called a flagrant breach of the party’s constitution.
Shuaibu, in a statement yesterday titled ‘APC and its future, let’s us exercise caution’, alleged that the party under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomole, has committed “constitutional flaws detrimental to the progress of the party.”
He alleged that the party had gravitated from a constitutional body to a party governed by arbitrary administrative system.
Shuaibu was among members of the National Working Committee (NWC) that worked for the ouster of the national chairman. He has remained an implacable opponent of Oshiomhole.
He was suspended for a long time while the disagreement within the party leadership lasted but recalled after the plot to remove Oshiomhole crumbed.
Shuaibu said: “The party founded on the principles of constitutionalism and the rule of law, is now subject of arbitrary administration, without regard for the dictates of the law. The ruling party which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law; is now the nest of lawlessness.
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“The entire legal framework governing the party administration in Nigeria today, the Nigerian Constitution, the Party constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC regulations and guidelines are more honoured by the party in breaches than obedience”.
He cited Article 20 (a) of the party’s constitution which made it unambiguously clear, “that All Party Posts prescribed or implied by this constitution SHALL be filled by democratically conducted elections at the respective convention (in the case of NWC or NEC) or congress (in the case of Executive Committees at State, Local Government or ward levels) et tal”.
He argued that there was nowhere in the party’s constitution where it was envisaged that an officer of the party could be appointed by the Chairman nor the NWC. He then queried the appointment and inauguration of acting National Secretary Wazirin Bulama, which he claimed fell short of party’s constitution.
According to Shuaibu, “not even NEC has the power to appoint any National officer of the Party in any capacity. Let me ask this simple question, what is difficult in organizing a mid term convention to elect the officers in line with the constitution so that even the officers will have confidence that they are elected like all other officers.
“The constitution of the the Party in Article 25 (A) (1) page 89 stipulates that there shall be a convention every two years. We had convention in 2018 and another one is due in 2020. What is the hurry in appointing an acting National secretary when we have the duly elected Deputy National Secretary who have been acting in that capacity since December 2018 in line with Article 14.4 of the Constitution on page 58?
“All NWC Officers have Offices of their deputies to take charge of that office in the absence of the Principal, in consonance with article 14 of the constitution in its entirety. But what is happening to this Constitutional provision? Does it have a different legal interpretation?
“The self-imposed and the National Publicity Secretary, in a press statement stated that the National Working Committee had appointed an acting National Secretary. How do you appoint? Are we still running a party with rules and regulations? This is now the pattern in the Party”.
He noted that as the party is preparing for Edo and Ondo States governorship elections, “any nomination signed by such acting National Secretary is a nullity and liable to be challenged by the opposition. Are we deaf and blind? Or is the Chairman finally out to inter the Party?” He querried.
Warning that the party may suffered same date as in Zamfara, as it fails to adhere strictly to the party’s Constitution for the emergence of party flagbearer in Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections.