The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken another dimension, with the chairman of the “reformed” APC faction writing to the electoral commission to invalidate the election of national officers.
Buba Galadima, in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the June 23 national convention that produced Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman, among other officers, was “very flawed and undemocratic”.
To buttress his claim of irregularities in the election, Galadima attached video recording “of the relevant aspects of the proceedings of the convention” to his letter.
“I write as a foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a member of its Board of Trustees, National Caucus and an automatic delegate at its National Convention, to bring to your notice that on 23rd June, 2018, the All Progressive Congress (APC) purportedly held a very flawed and undemocratic Convention for the purpose of electing its national officers following the disputed Congresses held in various Wards (May 2, 2018), Local Governments (May 5, 2018), State Congress (May 8, 2018),” the letter read.
“These congresses leading up to the National Convention of the party were marred with serious irregularities and manipulations to the extent that in at least 22 States, parallel congresses were held and different set of delegates and officers emerged. Some of the States includes: Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara.
“In particular the “election” of the following officers of the party was in direct contravention of Article 20(1) of the APC Constitution, which says:
“Unless otherwise provided for: All party posts prescribed or implied by this Constitution shall be filled by democratically conducted elections at the respective National Convention or Congress subject, where possible, to consensus, Provided that where a Candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of “Yes” or “No” by ballot or voice shall be called, to ensure that it was not an imposition which could breed discontent and crisis”.
Galadima said his attempts to resolve the issues through the internal mechanisms of the party were frustrated.
He said since the APC had failed to address the grievances, INEC should declare the offices of 18 officials of the party invalid and unlawful.
“Their emergence is a breach of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the APC (Article 20(1)),” he wrote.