The controversy generated by the purported suspension of the National Legal Adviser of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Muiz Banire, has pitched the party’s spokespersons in Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) against each other.
The APC Publicity Secretary in the FCT, Adaji Usman, yesterday asked his counterpart in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, to either retract his statement that the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, could not speak for the party or face sanction.
Malam Abdullahi had in a statement issued last Friday announced that the APC National Working Committee (NWC), had annulled the purported expulsion of Banire.
But Igbokwe, in a swift reaction, said since Abdullahi was not validly elected, he could not speak for the party. He also described the NWC decision as hasty and an assault on democracy for faulting the right of the local chapter of the APC to recall a party member at the national level over alleged anti-party activities.
The APC spokesman yesterday chided Igbokwe, and accused him of making “false and absurd claims about national officers of the party without basis.”
Usman said Malam Abdullahi was validly elected in line with provisions of the party’s constitution on filling vacancies in the NWC.
“As the spokesperson of the APC in the FCT, which is in the North-Central zone, I participated fully in the North-Central convention through which Mallam Abdullahi was elected as the substantive national publicity secretary of the APC.
“The election had delegates and key stakeholders from the zone, including four state governors, and was supervised by relevant bodies saddled with such responsibilities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Mr Igbokwe has definitely stepped out of his bounds by issuing such a reckless statement attacking a highly-placed and reputable national officer of our party. He should retract this obnoxious statement or face disciplinary actions from the Party.
“Igbokwe’s penchant for insulting party leaders must stop. Our job as spokespersons for the state chapters of our great party requires temperance, moderation and decorous use of language,” he said.
