Reinstate dissolved APC NWC minus Oshiomhole, says former legal adviser

Ogala, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said in a statement yesterday that the fate of the party is at stake as all its actions “will continue to hang on a very thin thread in the face of the progressive attitude of our courts on election and political matters.”

He was reacting to the minority ruling of the Supreme Court  on the election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State which raised questions on whether the office and powers of  APC National Chairman can be exercised by Governor Mai Mala Buni who is the sitting Governor of Yobe State.

“The reinstatement of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) without the erstwhile Chairman who was suspended from office by Order of a court of competent jurisdiction should be seriously considered in order to cloak the impending Ward, Local Government Area and State Congresses as well as National Convention with the imprint of legality,” Ogala said.

He said although many of the NWC members have since moved on to better things and would be reluctant to return to their positions, their reinstatement “is the hard decision we must all take for the sake of saving our dear party.’

He warned against what he called parochial ground-standing by the party at this point in time, saying: “Just as the former NWC accepted their dissolution without much hassle, it is time for the current Caretaker Committee to sacrifice for the posterity of APC.”

He said: “The fate of APC is at stake in that all successes, victories and triumphs gained by the party will continue to hang on a very thin thread in the face of the progressive attitude of our courts on election and political matters.”

Ogala said while he has not seen the Supreme Court judgment,  it is “safe to conclude that the judicial attitude of the apex court is that APC would be dealt a fatal blow should Governor Mai Mala Buni remain at the helms of affairs of the APC and he is joined in a future suit. 

“Therefore, in response to the well publicised opinion of my brother silk, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, the apex court gave the APC both a hint and a wink at the same time.

“The minority decision backed by the majority’s action of not ruling otherwise on this point sends a strong message which we cannot ignore.

“Without equivocation, the law is not on the side of perpetuating serving governors, including Governor Mai Mala Buni, in the leadership of the Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee. So what do we do as a party?

“I have read suggestions by my brother silk, Festus Keyamo, SAN to the effect that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party as well as its Board of Trustees (BOT) should take charge of the affairs of the party through a committee set up by either organ.

“This is a very wise proposition except that NEC alongside all other organs of the party was purportedly dissolved at a meeting convened and presided over by Governor Mai Mala Buni. Sadly, the Notice for the NEC meeting was issued by the same tainted leadership of the party.

“Therefore, it is my view that the meeting may not have been properly convened in the eyes of the law and its resolution(s) may have been void ab initio. This gives a leeway for the NEC to resume its duties and convene meetings immediately where it will decide the future of the party.

“The Board of Trustees of the party was never and has still not been constituted till date. So in effect, the party does not have a BOT that could convene even a meeting of the BOT, talk more of convening a National Convention or indeed any statutory meeting of the party.”