Demands list pending court cases in states and their sponsors
By Ezeocha Nzeh
A fresh crisis looms in the relatively peaceful ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a recent threat by the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee to wild its big stick against members who are yet to withdraw their instituted court actions against the party, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari at the party’s last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where the former National Working Committee was sacked.
The APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on June 24 had instructed members of the party to withdraw any litigation against the party or its members pending in court and not to institute any case against the party or its members.
The NEC members also instructed the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee led by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, to ensure that members comply with the directives.
The Caretaker committee had in line with the directives, set up a reconciliation committee headed by Governor Bello of Niger state, which has since commenced work, leading to the resolution of the crisis in Cross River and Enugu states.
It was however gathered that the crisis has continued to fester in APC chapters in Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Edo, Delta and others, where two factional chairmen of have continued to lay claim to the party’s leadership, citing several court cases.
But in a recent to return lasting [peace to the APC, the Mai Mala Buni led Caretaker Committee has issued a two week ultimatum to all members who are in court to either withdraw their cases and embrace the reconciliation moves or face the ;party’s wrath
The AUTHORITY gathered that the Committee had written to the state chairmen of the party, instructing them to furnish the National Headquarters with the number of cases in court in their states, and those who had complied in withdrawing their cases in court.
The letter, which was cited by our correspondent, is titled:
Request for documentary evidence of compliance/non-compliance was dated August 14, 2020.
In the letter, which was signed by the Caretaker Committee Secretary, Senator James AkpanUdoedehe, the party said, “further to our letter dated 1st of July 2020, wherein we directed that you coordinate with your state legal advisers and secretaries to encourage all members who have instituted any matter in court against the party to withdraw same and steps to be taken towards reconciliation.
“It is however with dismay that several state chapters have not yet sent their reports in line with our earlier request.
In view of the above, you are hereby directed to forward to the National secretariat, within 14 days of the receipt of this letter, the following: List of all litigation between party members in your state Chapter.
Also to be submitted to the party secretariat as requested through the letter are: Documentary evidence of compliance with National Executive Committee directive on withdrawal of all pending litigation and names of litigants who have refused to withdraw from the court any matter which may have been filed against the party in your state.
Sources at the APC Legal department told The AUTHORITY that the Caretaker Committee is determined to restore peace and other in the party, noting that the committee has resolved to wield the big stick on recalcitrant party members with suspension
It was also gathered that some state chairmen have already responded to the national headquarters demand as the chairman of the Zamfara state chapter of APC, Lawal Liman, visited the party headquarters last Monday to furnish the caretaker committee with the list of litigations and their sponsors, in response to the directives
