APC To Hold LG Congresses This Saturday Despite Court Order

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said its local government congresses slated for this Saturday will go on as planned despite the court order stopping it.

A high court in Asaba, the Delta State capital, had on Wednesday issued an order of interim injunction restraining the party from holding its scheduled LG congresses.

It also restrained Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni, and other members of the committee from parading in that capacity.

But Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, yesterday in Abuja, inaugurated a committee for the conduct of the LG congresses on Saturday, adding that party members who took the party to court would be sanctioned.

“As President Muhammadu Buhari would always admonish his envoys, we urge you to go to your various states of primary assignment with confidence, dignity, commitment and pride.

“We also use this opportunity to reiterate the resolution of the NEC of our party to severely sanction members and their sponsors who take the party to court.

“His Excellency (Hon) Mai Mala Buni is determined to carry out to the letter the instructions of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, which is to rebuild the party; button up. The process has reached an advanced ground stage,” he said.

The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, told our correspondent in a telephone chat that the Asaba Court Order had nothing to do with the operations of the Caretaker Committee, adding that the APC national leadership had consulted widely before reaching the resolution to hold the local government congresses on Saturday.

In a statement earlier, Sen. Akpanudoedehe said that the national leadership of the APC had expelled the party’s Caretaker Chairman of Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu.

The party said Adamu was expelled for allegedly making “unwholesome utterances” against President Muhammadu Buhari and was found guilty of bringing the image of the party to disrepute, thereby allegedly creating doubt on his leadership quality and loyalty to the party.