Recognise and deal with New leadership of the Party- APM tells INEC

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) one of the 18 political parties preparing for the 2023 general elections held meeting to critically appraise their engagement with the stakeholders ie INEC, Judiciary, IPAC and other Stakeholders on their respective roles in the sustenance of Democratic ideals and upholding rule of law amidst the various litigations concerning the smooth conduct of the 2023general elections.

In an opening remark during the one day stakeholder engagement appraisal by the leaders of the party, the National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bagana decried the insensitivity of INEC towards supporting internal democracy in political parties by not upholding court judgements aimed at strengthening democracy and Democratic processes.

He added that since the Federal High Court Judgement of 20th May, 2022 dissolving the party structure at all levels and transferring powers to the Registered Trustees mandating them to conduct Congresses and convention for the election of officers at National, State, LGA/AC and Ward levels for the party, INEC has not obliged to the court ruling even when all efforts by Yusuf Mamman Dantalle to stay the execution of the judgement failed both at the Federal High Court and Appeal Court.

The chairman went ahead to inform members that even though the Appeal for stay of execution of the Federal High Court Judgement was denied, INEC has continued to recognise and deal with Yusuf M. Dantalle as the National Chairman of the party with no recourse to the provisions of the party constitution, desire of the founding members of the party to protect the dignity and Motto of the party ie INTEGRITY, SACRIFICE, SERVICE or even moved by moral conscience or patriotism despite several engagement with the current leadership of the party who emerged following the mandate of the Court judgement.

He congratulated members of the party for their steadfastness and sustained loyalty to the motto of the party, as well as their resilience in obedience to the rule of law in spite of provocation by the action of INEC.

While answering questions as to whether IPAC as a platform for self regulation and coordination of political parties is aware of what is happening and what their intervention is in the matter, the National chairman, Alhaji Bagana said it’s unfortunate that even IPAC could not offer any positive intervention even when the party informed the body that the National Working Committee suspended the then National Chairman, Yusuf M. Dantalle for gross misuse of office, fraudulent activities and diversion of party funds into his personal account. Rather than look at the allegation of the party with a a view to investigating the matter for appropriate sanction, more so that the then chairman was the National Secretary of IPAC in order to provide leadership to the political parties, IPAC went ahead to clear him to contest election and retained him as the National Secretary in an election he came out from incarceration and detention in Kabba prison for an allegation of illegal possession of unauthorized firearms.

The party is worried that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mamoud tells Nigerians and the world that INEC would conduct credible, free and fair election in 2023 and yet not adhering to the rule of law by respecting Court orders.

The INEC chairman informed Nigerians and his guests from the African Union of the numerous litigations including pre-election and intra party cases still lingering in courts across the country. It is indeed disturbing that INEC will not commit to implementing a judgement from Federal High Court until it awaits the judgement from the Appeal court on the same matter whose stay of execution was sought for and not granted. . Where then lies the hope of an enduring democracy in our country?

After hours of deliberations, however, the meeting issued a 3 point communique as follows:

1. The party leadership should again remind INEC of the pending Federal High Court Judgement of 20th May, 2022 yet to be stayed by any court of competent jurisdiction since the Appeal Court dismissed the request to stay execution of the judgement. The judgement should therefore be implemented while waiting for the determination of the substantive case in the Appeal court.

2. INEC should recognize and deal with the new leadership of the party who were elected during the congresses and convention organized by the Registered Trustees of party in line with the mandate contained in the judgement of 20th May, 2022 to allow members of the party enjoy legitimate leadership.
3. All candidates of the party who emerged during the primaries conducted by the Registered Trustees should be considered legitimate candidates of the party and be replaced by INEC with those who were submitted by Yusuf M. Dantalle

The meeting then called on INEC to do the needful as soon as possible to enable the candidates consolidate their campaign activities among electorates as the election dates draw closer. They however, warned that the party may be forced to seek redress on the damages caused by the commission by its continues refusal to do the needful.

For a better society

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