Lagos APC: We’ll punish any member who files suit against Buni-led caretaker committee

The Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned members not to institute any case against the national caretaker committee of the party, saying such persons will be sanctioned.

Lateef Arigbaruwo, a chieftain of Lagos APC, had filed a suit before a federal high court in the state seeking to dissolve the caretaker committee of the party.

At the national executive council (NEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Adams Oshiomhole-led national working committee (NWC) of the party was dissolved and Mai-Mala Buni, governor of Yobe state, was sworn in as the APC caretaker committee chairman.

But Arigbaruwo, in the suit, faulted the NEC meeting of the party and prayed the court to make an order restraining the caretaker committee members from functioning as managers of the party.

However, in a statement on Friday, Tunde Balogun, Lagos APC chairman, said the person who instituted the suit is not a member of the party, explaining that “it is highly doubtful that a bonafide member of the APC in Lagos in good standing would initiate such an action.”

Balogun warned party members not to file any court action regarding the NEC meeting of the party, particularly if the person has not sought to initiate internal conflict resolution processes to resolve any dispute they may have with the committee’s decisions.

He added that the matter will also be investigated.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Balogun added that the Lagos chapter of the party will not tolerate any flouting of the constitution and asked anyone involved in filing such a case to withdraw it immediately.

“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,” he said.

“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.”