… Condemns Plateau Speaker’s Refusal To Swear in 16 APC Lawmakers
By Joy Odor
The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Felix Morka has warned those parading the immediate former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello’s posters in different public space and streets campaigning for the office of the national chairman that there is no vacant position in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The warning because imperative sequel to the emergency of the resolutions reached after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held on Monday and made available to newsmen on Tuesday at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja by Barr. Felix Morka.
According to him, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is the APC National Chairman, adding that the Office is fully, properly occupied, and the party have absolute confidence in his leadership.
He described those behind the campaign for the un-vacant office as mischief makers, calling on them to desist from doing so.
“There is no vacancy in the office of the National Chairman of the party. Our National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje is our Chairman and he is operating as the chairman.
“So, there is no vacancy in that office. And yes, we have also seen some of those posters. This is democracy. People do what they want. But, make no mistake because the office of the National Chairman is properly and fully occupied.
“And we have absolute and total confidence in his leadership of the Party. Nobody is asking for that office to be declared vacant and it is not vacant. I will want to warn those who are throwing these papers around to desist from doing that.
“That is not our priority right now. We need to concentrate on the job that needs to be done to solve some of the problems that will make our country a better place for all of us” he noted.
Recalled that Yahaya Bello posters inundated critical sites and streets on Monday, less than 48 hours after he was handed over to Governor Usman Ododo, including the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The posters signaled Bello’s interest in becoming the National Chairman of the ruling party, the position currently held by the former governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from the north-west.
In the meantime, Felix Morka has also condemned the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Dawang for failure and refusal to swear in 16 APC House Members adjudged by the Court of Appeal as the duly elected members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
Morka described the refusal of the Speaker to obey Court order as undemocratic and violently contemptuous of the authority of the Court of Appeal
“The National Working Committee (NWC) at its 141st meeting held on Monday has; “Denounced the failure or refusal of the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly to swear in 16 APC House Members adjudged by the Court of Appeal as the duly elected members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
The NWC mandates the Plateau Speaker to swear in the members without further delay in the interest of peace in the good State of Plateau.
“The intransigence of the Speaker and the Governor of the state in this matter is wrong, undemocratic and violently contemptuous of the authority of the Court of Appeal, the highest court for the determination of election petition matters as it concerns the House of Assembly” he said.
Recall that in November 2023, the APC legislators were declared winners by the Appeal Court having sacked those elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over lack of party structure.
While election of Caleb Mutfwang, governor of the state, was also nullified by the court for the same reason.
However, Mutfwang’s sack was reversed by the supreme court on January 12. The apex court had ruled that the appeal court erred in its judgment. This has since created a tensed political atmosphere in the State.
Morka Informed that part of the NWC’s resolution was the flag off the update of members register nationally in Niger State, then flag off in one state in each of the other geo-political zones
On Reconciliation and Intervention Delegation to the United Kingdom’s APC Diaspora Chapter, the Spokesperson said the party; “adopts in its entirety the report of the NWC’s high level Reconciliation and Intervention Delegation to the United Kingdom’s APC Diaspora Chapter.
“In particular, the NWC approved the constitution of an Interim Executive Committee of the Chapter of 24 members to be led by its Chairman, Hon. Tunde Doherty and Secretary, Hon. Joseph Adebola. The Interim Executive Committee shall have a term of three months, which term may be renewed as may be necessary” Morka concluded
