APC headache now plus one as publicity sec drags party to court

The many troubles bedeviling the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has increased by one, as the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, Timi Frank has dragged it to court.

Frank who was suspended by the party, and in danger of being expelled, insists that he remains the acting national publicity secretary of the party, and has therefore resorted to legal option to seek redress.

Frank, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, said he took the decision after the refusal of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to react to his letters, citing relevant sections of the party’s constitution on why he has right to act as the spokesperson of the party.

Frank, who has stood out like a sore thumb in the party, has continuously criticized the party’s leadership under Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, warning that the party is fast headed for a break up.
He castigated the national chairman of the party, over his role in the party’s governorship primaries in Ondo State that produced Rotimi Akeredolu, even as he had also criticized the treatment being meted out to Senate President Bukola Saraki.

For these perceived anti party activities, a five-man Disciplinary Committee constituted by the South-South zonal Vice Chairman of APC, Hilliard Etta and led by Solomon Edoja, based on a petition by one Aniekan Akpabio, had recommended for his suspension and subsequent sack.

But according to Frank, “I have tried to resolve this crisis internally. I’ve said before I was going to seek legal redress. That step has been taken. I did everything possible to resolve the crisis. But there was no response from Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. But I’ve approached the court to seek legal redress.
“If I can write two letters and there was no response, I have no other option than to take my case to the judiciary and I believe by the grace of God, I’ll be vindicated. This is the only step I can take to fight for my fundamental human right.

Read also: Timi Frank faces suspension, sack as APC com’tee submits report

“Now that this matter is before the court, I still remain the acting publicity secretary of the party. If there’s anybody to be suspended from APC, it should be Oyegun not me,” he added.

Frank, in his prayers, is seeking “an order to restrain the respondents (Oyegun and the APC) by themselves, committees, officers, agents, servants, privies or howsoever called from suspending and/or otherwise taking any other disciplinary action against him as a member of the APC pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating summons.”

This adds to a myriad of crisis threatening to tear the APC apart, as some national leaders of the party who, dissatisfied with the situation of things in the party are rumoured to be making plans to float an alternative party ahead of the 2019 elections.

It would also be recalled that former Lagos state governor, and a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had also called for the resignation of Chief Oyegun, a call that was also backed by a former vice president, Abubakar Atiku.

On Monday, Atiku had taken a swipe at his colleagues in the party; a former chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, and governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El’rufai, both of whom he tagged as ungrateful.

And not one to back down from a fight, El’rufai had replied, calling Atiku a fantastically corrupt person who is already eyeing the presidency in 2019. He also challenged Atiku to take a trip to the United States of America, implying that he (Atiku) will be arrested on arrival there.

 

 
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