Kwara APC rejects dissolution, says NWC’s declaration illegal

Adams Oshiomhole

The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has rejected the purported dissolution of party executive council at the ward, local government and state levels by the Adams Oshiomole – led National Working Committee (NWC), describing the declaration as unlawful, null and void.

In a statement issued by Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, Publicity Secretary of the Kwara APC (the one dissolved by the NWC), he said that there was no ground for the dissolution, insisting that the NWC erred.

The National Working Committee (NEC) of the APC on Monday, dissolved the Kwara State Executive of the party. The party’s National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole and its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni announced this after a meeting of the NWC in Abuja.

However, the State Executive Council has rejected the declaration, stressing that it was out unwarranted and illegal.

“We confirm that there is no case of lacuna in the party leadership in Kwara State and there was no ground for the purported dissolution. Thus, the NWC erred in law. Furthermore, the purported dissolution is null and void.

“We recall that for many weeks, party members worked assiduously and painstakingly to elect party leadership at the ward, local government and state levels in Kwara State.

“The party structure was certified as duly elected by the National Working Committee of APC. The duly elected party structure in Kwara State cannot be overthrown or dissolved by an unlawful declaration from Abuja.

“Considering the role played by Comrade Adams Oshiomole, he has lost the respect of the leadership and members of APC in the 16 local government areas and 193 wards of Kwara State.

“He has destroyed his human rights credentials. It is crystal clear the emerging dictator is always willing to trample on the rights of other party members whenever his personal interest is involved.

“While the party will exercise legal means to protect the constitutional mandates of the party leadership at the ward, local government and state levels, we wish to reaffirm that the Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani – led State Executive Committee (SEC) remains the only authentic and lawful leadership of APC in Kwara State.

“Despite the distraction from Abuja, the Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani – led State Executive Committee (SEC), the party leadership in the 16 local government and 193 wards of Kwara State shall continue to discharge constitutional functions,” he said.

He therefore called on all members of the APC in Kwara State to remain calm as the executive committee will devise legal measures to guarantee the protection of their rights.

The APC NWC in dismissing the Saraki-supported Kwara APC executives anchored its action on Section 13.4, subsection xvii, which says:

“The National Working Committee shall have the power to set up a caretaker committee in place of any organ where there exists in the opinion of the National Working Committee a lacunae by virtue of any act or omission done in furtherance of this Constitution and

Sub section xvii says further: Any such Caretaker Committee so set up shall have a defined tenure and renewable upon a further review by the National Executive Committee.

(NAN)