When President Muhammadu Buhari,
on June 25 sacked the All Progressives Congress, APC National Working
Committee, NWC led by Etta Hillard, replacing it with the a National Caretaker
Committee headed by the Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni, some thought the
leadership fiasco in the ruling party had finally been over.
During
the meeting held in Aso Rock, Presidential Villa, the president also directed
all the members of the party to sheathe their swords in the interest of the
party, warning trouble makers will be sanctioned.
But
on Wednesday, one of the Party chieftains in Lagos state, Chief Lateef
Arigbaruwo dragged the party to court to challenge the sack of the Hillard led
NCW by President Buhari.
Arigbaruwo’s decision demanding
for the reinstatement of the sacked NWC has now dug up another battle in the
restive ruling party, close watchers of the party say.
In
the suit marked FHC/L/CS/789/2020, Arigbaruwo faulted the NEC meeting of
the party presided by President Buhari on June 25.
He
wants the court to rule on “whether having regards to Article 25, paragraph B
(i) and (ii) of the Constitution of the party, the 24 hours’ notice given by
the 2nd defendant for the NEC meeting held on June 25 was valid and legal”.
The
APC chieftain is also seeking “an order of the court setting aside all the
decisions taken in the NEC meeting, which he declared illegal on the grounds
that it was conveyed in the June 24 and held on June 25, contrary to Article 25
of the APC Constitution”.
He prayed the court to make an order
restraining the Buni-led caretaker committee from functioning as managers of
the party.
He
has also asked the court to grant an order directing the sacked NWC to return
back to office.
Joined
in the suit are Victor Giadom, APC NEC and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) as respondents.
Meanwhile,
keen watchers of the party say this may just be a renewed crisis in the ruling
APC, despite promises made by feuding parties to allow peace to reign.
Recall that both Adams Oshiomhole
and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the arrowheads of the Etta-led NWC had after the
president’s intervention pledge to abide by the decision reached on June 25 by
the party’s NEC.
Speaking
after the dissolution Oshiomhole said he had no option than to back the president’s
decision, adding that he has done his best for the parfty.
He
said “The APC under my leadership has done its best and the results are there.
Of course we have now been dissolved and I have accepted the that dissolution
in good fate.
I
am not going into the issue of legality or illegality, the bottom line is the
President who invited me to lead the party and gave me all the support and even
mobilised all the support across the country for my emergence as chairman also
presided over the meeting where the NWC has now been dissolved.
And because I have always assured
the President of my loyalty, I know it is easy for people to speak of loyalty
when the going is good, but loyalty is brought to the test when the going is
getting really tough, so as a demonstration of that loyalty to Mr. President,
the loyalty to our party, and loyalty to the Nigerian nation, I have decided to
accept the decision in good faith.”
The
Buni-led Caretaker Committee also visited Tinubu’s Bourdillon Lagos residence
on a reconciliation mission, where the APC National Leader promised to work
with the committee to move the party forward.
“There
is no crisis in the party, hence, no fight to reconcile,” Tinubu said on July 3
while speaking to journalists after the visit.
But
as it seems, the aggrieved members of the party led by the former Lagos
governor are still trying to take their own pound of flesh on the president and
the party for sacking Etta from office, keen watchers of the party told the
magazine.
“There’s no way an APC chieftain
in Lagos can drag the party to court without the knowledge and express approval
of Jagaban. The former Lagos governor is the Alpha and Omega of the APC in the
state, he has the knife and yam, decides who gets what. Nothing can be done by
any member of APC in Lagos without his knowledge,” Frank Adebowale, a political
analyst said.
Tinubu
has been having it rough with a powerful bloc in the APC over the 2023
presidential race analysts say, most recently the sack, on Tuesday of Ibrahim
Magu as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
believed to be part of the plots to frustrate his bid for the presidency.
The
renewed legal battle, close watchers of the Bourdillon King, as the APC
National Leader is well known, told the magazine is his way of fighting back
entrenched interests in the party who are neck deep in frustrating his
presidential ambition.
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