The crisis rocking leadership in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) festered yesterday as the National Vice-Chairman, North-West, Salihu Lukman, issued a one-week ultimatum to the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, to render a financial account of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Salihu also requested the party chair to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), or risk a lawsuit.
In an open letter addressed to Adamu entitled ‘Restoring Constitutional Order in APC, Not Negotiable’, Lukman recalled how he had earlier written formally to the party chairman, outlining several constitutional demands.
He said; “I make this an open letter because it is about campaigning to return the APC to its foundation, which requires that we mobilize all like-minded party leaders and members in this crusade to restore constitutional order in the APC.
“As a person, I have concluded that everything must be done to compel you to respect the constitution of our party and manage its affairs based on the requirements of our constitution and not your personal discretion.
“Therefore, by this open letter, I am serving you notice of one week from today, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, to take all the appropriate steps required to convene an NEC meeting before May 29, 2023, wherein all the issues bordering on the management of smooth transition between the outgoing government of President Buhari and the incoming government of President Asiwaju Tinubu can be considered.
“If by the end of this one-week notice, no action is taken to convene an NEC meeting as the first step to restoring constitutional order in APC, I will not hesitate to take further actions, including approaching our courts to enforce compliance with the provisions of our party’s constitution under your leadership”.
Lukman said he had on April 5 formally written Adamu on the subject, ‘Restoring Constitutional Order in APC: Demands’.
According to him, the letter outlined nine demands as follows:
“In line with the provision of Article 13.4(ii) of the APC Constitution, present report of activities for the last year to the NWC.
“In line with the provision of Article 13.4(iv) of the APC Constitution, present a financial report on the income and expenditure of the party for the last year.
“In line with the provision of Article 13.3A(xiv) of the APC Constitution, prepare a national budget for the party for the period May – December 2023, which should be ratified by the NWC for the consideration and approval of NEC.
“In line with provisions of Article 13.4(vi) of our party’s constitution, which directs the NWC to ‘propose electoral guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to party offices at all levels, and procedure for selecting Party candidates for elective offices’, the NWC should immediately develop a proposal to zone leadership positions for the 10th National Assembly and present to NEC for consideration and approval.
“Hold a NEC meeting before May 29, 2023, and 1 – 4 above should be part of the agenda of the NEC.
“Submit the audited account of the party for 2022 that was submitted to INEC to the NWC.
“Set up a committee to review the 2023 general elections and investigate cases of anti-party activities by leaders and members of the party.
“Given the shameful outcome of the Osun 2022 Governorship election and the embarrassing outcome of the 2023 general elections in Osun State whereby we lost all the three Senatorial seats, all the House of Representatives seats and all the House of Assembly seats in the state, the National Secretary, Sen. Iyiola Omisore who is the most senior party leader in the state should immediately resign. In addition, the NWC should recommend to NEC that a high-powered reconciliation committee should be set up to facilitate the reconciliation of all party leaders in Osun state.
“In order to demonstrate the commitment that we are going to restore constitutional order in the party, actions should commence on all these and NWC should meet within the next two weeks from today, Wednesday, April 5, 2023, to review progress”.
He said two weeks since the demands were presented, there was neither acknowledgement nor indication that any of the demands are being considered.
Lukman conceded that although the NWC met on Monday, April 17, 2023, its deliberation was limited to ratifying the party’s Governorship candidates for Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States for onward transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
He said as a member of the NWC, he is scandalised and embarrassed that after one year in office, the NWC is yet to have regular NEC, National Caucus or National Advisory Council (NAC) meetings.
