The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has complained over the numerous suits filed in several courts by discontent members of the party without exhausting the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the party.
The APC went into the national convention where the national chairman and other members of the NWC were elected, some selected, with unresolved post-congress crises in several states. The conflicts in the ruling party were exacerbated by additional crises in the post-primary elections conflicts unsatisfactorily conducted by the national party leadership wherein the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, imposed candidates in most states or compromised with certain godfathers to frustrate some APC leaders in some other states.
APC national publicity secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement Monday cautioned: “This growing trend is viewed by the party as a manifest indiscipline. The actions, it should be noted, is considered as anti-party as it goes against our Party’s constitution.
“For emphasis, according to Article 20, Subsection 10 of our Party’s Constitution, offences against the Party include the following: “Filing an action in a Court of Law against the Party or any of its Officers on any matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the Party without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided for in this Constitution.
“The Party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the Party’s interest.
“We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court cases, while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes. In addition to this, aggrieved members are urged to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has just put in place.
“APC members should understand that as a progressive party that operates on the principle of change, it is not a matter of choice to keep to the rules.
“We, therefore, advise such members to take this warning very seriously as failure to comply with the party’s dispute resolution procedures would be met with the stipulated disciplinary actions.”