Mai-Mala Buni, Yobe State Governor and outgoing APC's Chairman, Caretaker Committee
EHIME ALEX, Lagos
The Lagos Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that on no account should any of its member instigate or file litigation against the recent decision of the party’s National Executive Committee meeting, without first leveraging on the party’s internal conflict resolution processes.
In a statement on Friday signed by Hon. Tunde Balogun, the Lagos state chairman of the APC, the Chapter said such legal action clearly contravenes the spirit and letter of the party’s constitution and at such should be jettisoned.
The Chapter’s decision came after a publication purportedly claimed that an APC member in Lagos State had instituted a case at a Federal High Court against the party’s National Caretaker Committee.
However, the Chapter advised that the member should withdrew the case, or be ready to face the wrath of the party in line with it’s constitution.
The statement reads in full:
We have seen a report in a national newspaper that a purported APC member in Lagos State had instituted a case at a Federal High Court, against the party’s National Caretaker Committee.
We believe the person who instituted the suit is not a member of our party because it is highly doubtful that a bonafide member of the APC in Lagos in good standing would initiate such an action; we will, however, investigate the matter.
Here, I want to reiterate the stance of the APC in Lagos. No party member should file a court action regarding the recent National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja particularly if that person has not even sought to initiate internal conflict resolution processes to resolve any dispute they may have with the NEC decisions.
Filing any such legal action is clearly against the spirit and letter of the party constitution, which prohibits legal action before a member exhausts all internal resolution mechanisms. Our resolve against institution of any court case by any member is in consonance with the constitution of the party.
Lagos APC will not turn a blind eye to the flouting of the constitution in this manner. We are trying to restore order and decorum to the party and thus no member should seek to sow confusion. Any party member involved in the institution of any such case should withdraw the case from court forthwith. Failure to do so, will subject that party member to sanctions enumerated in the constitution, which may include suspension or expulsion.
No party can flourish when members engage in instituting frivolous court cases for the sole purpose of causing disunity and turmoil. This is an act of gross indiscipline which cannot be sustained and which we will not allow.
SIGNED
Hon Tunde Balogun
Lagos APC Chairman