Publisher drags APC to court over National Publicity Secretary position

Popular blogger and publisher, Abubakar Sidiq Usman, has dragged the All Progressives Congress to court over its decision to appoint Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as the substantive National Publicity Secretary of the party.

In a suit with file number FCT/HC/BW/CV/142/18 and filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, the Publisher, who contested for the position of National Publicity Secretary of the party in the June 23 National Convention held in Abuja, is asking the court to declare him as the substantive spokesperson of the party having emerged as runner-up to Bolaji Abdulahi, the former National Publicity Secretary of the party.

In the keenly contested election, Abdullahi had emerged victorious at the convention, leaving Usman, Duro Meseko and Issa-Onilu in the second, third and fourth positions respectively.

But few months after assuming office, Abdullahi resigned the position and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.

In his place, the National Working Committee of the party appointed Issa-Onilu as the substantive spokesman despite coming last in the election.

Joined in the case are Issa-Onilu and the Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants.

Usman is asking the court to declare whether upon the interpretation of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the constitution of the APC, the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended, and guideline for the 2018 National Convention of the party, the party can appoint Issa-Onilu as the National Publicity Secretary without having been duly elected at a congress of the national convention.

He is also asking the court to declare whether upon the interpretation of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the constitution of the APC, the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended, and guideline for the 2018 National Convention of the party and upon the refusal of Abdullahi to continue to take up the position of the National Publicity Secretary, he, having come second in the election should not be the proper person to occupy the office as replacement.

Also contained in the originating summons to the court is a relief of the court declaring that whether Issa-Onilu having come fourth in the election and upon the refusal of the Abdullahi to continue to take up the position of the National Publicity Secretary of the party should be the proper person to be appointed as replacement for the office.

Usman is therefore asking the court to issue an order directing the  defendants, jointly or severally to accord him the recognition, rights, privileges as the duly elected National Publicity Secretary of the party at the National Convention having come second behind Abdulahi who resigned from the position shortly after assuming office.