ABUJA – By Paul Efiong
The spokespersons of the two ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are at loggerheads over statement credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, annulling the suspension of National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire.
Mr Joe Igbokwe had in a statement on Saturday, took a swipe at Abdullahi, saying he should know his bounds as acting spokesperson of the party, insisting that the local chapter could sanction any erring party member.
But, the reaction of Igbokwe, appears to have infuriated the party’s spokesperson in FCT, Adaji Usman, who described Igbokwe’s claim that Bolaji Abdullahi is not a substantive National Publicity Secretary as “absurd and without basis”.
The statement issued by FCT APC Spokesperson, Usman Adaji on Monday reads in full:
“I have been alerted to a statement by Mr Joe Igbokwe, the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in which he made several false claims about national officers of our Party.
“In the statement, which is in response to the release by the National Working Committee of the APC annulling the purported expulsion of Muiz Banire, the Party’s Legal Adviser, Igbokwe alleged that Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, our National Publicity Secretary, was not validly elected and so could not speak for the Party.
“This allegation by Igbokwe is absurd and without basis, as Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was validly elected in line with provisions of our Party’s constitution on filling vacancies in the NWC.
“As the spokesperson of the APC in the FCT, which is in the North-Central zone, I participated fully in the North-Central Convention through which Mallam Abdullahi was elected as the substantive National Publicity Secretary of the APC.
“The election had delegates and key stakeholders from the zone, including four state governors, and was supervised by relevant bodies saddled with such responsibilities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Mr Igbokwe has definitely stepped out of his bounds by issuing such a reckless statement attacking a highly-placed and reputable national officer of our party. He should retract this obnoxious statement or face disciplinary actions from the Party.
“It is surprising that Igbokwe who attended a workshop in Abuja organized by Mallam Abdullahi in his capacity as the National Publicity Secretary will turn around to cast aspersion on Abdullahi. If he had doubts about Abdullahi’s position in the Party, on what basis then did he attend the conference in Abuja?
“Even sadder is the fact that it was the same Abdullahi who stopped the moves by some state publicity secretaries to remove Igbokwe as chairman of the forum of state publicity secretaries of the APC (CAPS).
“Igbokwe’s penchant for insulting party leaders must stop. Our job as spokespersons for the state chapters of our great Party requires temperance, moderation and decorous use of language. Qualities that Igbokwe obviously lack.”
