No crack in Niger APC executive, alleged suspension null and void, says scribe
The Secretary of the Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Mohammad Liman, has described his alleged removal along with three other officials as illegal, saying it is unknown to the party constitution and therefore null and void.
Liman, a lawyer. made the clarification in a statement he issued in Minna, following their alleged removal after a meeting held by some persons he said have no mandate for calling a meeting of the party.
He added that their removal was null and void as a case was filed on the same issue at a High Court in Bida by one Suleiman Abdullahi (State Assistant Youth Leader) and another against the said three officials, and has he, Abdulahi, has also gone ahead and constituted himself as the acting secretary of the party, thereby taking the laws into his hands.
Barrister Liman maintained that the state party executives remain intact, unshakable and that nothing has changed, urging those arrogating powers to themselves to refrain from such illegality, noting that the chairman will in due course address all party members in the state.
He reiterated that by the virtue of Article 21 D (v) at page 86 of the APC Constitution, the said Suleiman Abdullahi has been expelled from the party having filled a suit against the party and its officials without exhausting the avenues for redress. “Therefore, an expelled member of the party can not hold any party position during the period of expulsion.”
Liman added that the said case was heard on Thursday and adjourned for further hearing next week Friday 10/7/2020, saying that aggrieved members who have failed to follow the party constitution can not pass a vote of no confidence on the chairman and two others as alleged.
“Article 21 D ( iv) on page 87 of the APC Constitution is very clear and unambiguous. It says that for a vote of no confidence to be passed on any official(s) at any level of the party, he or she must be established that he has failed to discharge his responsibility or neglect or dereliction of duty or misconduct and must be accorded fair hearing and members present in the meeting must vote by two third of majority”
He emphasised that in case of any misconduct or any of the cases mentioned, a committee must be constituted by the party to investigate the matter, serve allegation notice to that effect, but he argued however that none of those processes were followed as laid down by the party.
He further stated that recently President Muhammadu Buhari has directed during the inauguration of Caretaker Committee of the Party that all cases filed in courts by party members should be withdrawn, noting that that of Niger State was not an exception.
He then advised members of the party to be calm, focused and law abiding, informing them categorically that the state All Progressive Congress (APC) Chairman, Engr. Muhammad Jibrin Imam remains the leader and the Secretary, Barrister Mohammad Liman as well the Treasurer Alhaji Shafi’i Abdulrahman’s positions remain intact.
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It will be recalled that some members of the APC at a meeting recently passed a vote of no confidence on the State party Chairman, Engr. Mohammad Jibrin Imam, Secretary, Barrister Mohammed Liman and Treasurer, Alhaji Shafi’i Abdulrahman over alleged financial misappropriation.
The party’s Legal Adviser, Barrister Khalid also swore in officials to act in those positions to pilot the affairs of the party.
The acting chairman is Alhaji Aliyu Saidu from Shiroro Local Government, acting Secretary is Suleiman Abdullahi, while the Treasurer is Suleiman Madaki Wushishi.
