Aggrieved APC members have right to go to court – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared his backing for
aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress who opted to sue
the party for being dissatisfied with its decisions.

The President said the courts remained the last option for the
amicable resolution of disputes, hence he insisted that the party
must allow the aggrieved members to fully explore their democratic
and legal rights.

It is yet another sign of the deepening disagreements within the
fold of the ruling party.

The APC has been battling post-primary election crises, amid
fears that the development may rub on its chances at the 2019
polls.

The National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in particular, has
been pitted against some state governors, who are reported to be
bent on removing him before the polls.

The party has also suffered a gale of defections across the
states and the National Assembly, where there is now a real threat
of losing the majority position in the House of
Representatives.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr
Femi Adesina, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, expressed Buhari’s
backing for the decision of aggrieved members to approach the
courts.

The statement quoted Buhari as saying, “We can’t deliberately
deny people of their rights.

“We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either
through direct, indirect or consensus methods, and if anyone feels
unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court.

“The court should always be the last resort for the
dissatisfied. For the party to outlaw the court process is not
acceptable to me.”

Buhari, who also cited the threat issued by the National Working
Committee of the APC last week, said he did not agree with the
position of the party’s leadership.
The NWC had warned, “The party intends to activate constitutional
provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of
undermining the party and hurt the party’s interest.

“We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court
cases, while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view
to resolving any outstanding disputes.

“In addition to this, aggrieved members are urged to take full
advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has put in
place.”

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