APC: Abe, Marafa, Others To Face Sanction Over Court Cases

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/ Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee may soon sanction Senator Magnus Abe, Senator Kabiru Marafa, former Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, and others for failure to withdraw cases against the party and its members in Court. 

The members had dragged the party and its members to Court in their respective states over the Congresses conducted in 2018. The Court cases had affected the chances of APC in the 2019 general election, as the party lost governorship and other elections in the states to opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But after the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on June 24, the party resolved that all Court cases against the party and its members should be withdrawn. NEC instructed the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee led by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, to make sure that members comply with the directives. First to obey the directives was the former APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who withdrew his case immediately at the Supreme Court, instituted against the party for his suspension and sack as National Chairman.

The Caretaker Committee, in line with the NEC’s directives, had on July 1 written to the State Party Chairmen, instructing them to furnish the headquarters on the number of cases in Court in their states, and those who had complied in withdrawing their cases in Court.

The Committee also on August 14 wrote a followup letter titled: Request for documentary evidence of compliance/non-compliance. In the letter signed by the Caretaker Committee Secretary, Senator James AkpanUdoedehe, the party said: “Further to our letter dated 1st of July 2020, wherein we directed that you coordinate with your State Legal Advisers and Secretaries to encourage all members who have instituted any matter in court against the party to withdraw same and steps to be taken towards reconciliation.

“It is however with dismay that several state chapters have not yet sent their reports in line with our earlier request. In view of the above, you are hereby directed to forward to the National Secretariat, within 14 days of the receipt of this letter, the following: List of all litigation between party members in your state chapter. Also to be submitted to the party secretariat are: Documentary evidence of compliance with NEC’s directive on withdrawal of all pending litigation and names of litigants who have refused to withdraw from the court any matter which may have been filed against the party in your state. Some of the states where aggrieved members are in courts are: Zamfara, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Imo, Niger, Ekiti and Oyo, among others.