APC moves to punish its deputy spokesman for ‘criticising’ Oyegun

The Deputy Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Timi Frank, who has unequivocally criticised the party national Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, now risks being sanctioned by the party.

This is as the party’s Vice Chairman South-South, Hilliard Eta, on Thursday in Abuja, inaugurated an ad-hoc disciplinary committee to investigate what it termed the “activities” of Mr. Frank.

The committee Chairman, Solomon Edoja said that the committee was a disciplinary one “because there is a petition lying in front of us in respect of the activities of Mr. Timi Frank who is the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party.

“We’ve just been inaugurated. We will soon invite him to state his own side of the story. We are also going to invite the petitioner because the legal procedure is that you have to hear from both sides before you can reach the decision. We are going to subject our recommendation to the zonal executive committee for ratification.”

However, speaking in Abuja, Frank described the panel as a “Kangaroo court” inaugurated solely to suspend him so that the handful members of the Chief Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee will continue their “illegalities”.

“I am not aware of any committee until now and I have not been served with any letter. If that is true, I am waiting to receive a letter from such committee. I don’t know who set up that committee. I don’t know whether it is a committee approved by the party structure or appointed by the National Chairman.

Read also: CCT trial: Appeal Court turns down Saraki, says go face FG if you have nothing to hide

“With the names I saw in that committee, I can tell you that these are not known names to the party and I don’t know the petitioner. How can you petition somebody you don’t know? This is to let you know that he is working for his sponsors. It is very clear that this is the handiwork of my national chairman.

“That does not mean that I don’t respect the process of the party. I will only appear before a committee that will be constituted by respected party members because such a committee will enable me lay my complaints about the party and I believe it will do what is right and take my complaints to the next level. But how can I appear before a committee that will take its report to Oyegun to decide my fate.

“If by tomorrow the committee says they invited me and I refuse to appear and so, they have found me guilty, I am ready to face the battle. I will also do everything possible to defend my position as Acting Publicity Secretary of this party,” Frank said.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now