Blogger drags APC to court over National Publicity Secretary position

Popular blogger and publisher, Abubakar Sidiq Usman has dragged
the All Progressives Congress (APC), to court over its decision to
appoint Lanre Isa-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, Usman, 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
following having emerged as runner-up behind Bolaji Abdulahi, the
former National Publicity Secretary of the Party.

In the keenly contested election, Bolaji Abdullahi had emerged
victorious at the convention, leaving Abubakar Usman, Duro Meseko
and Lanre Ossa-Onilu in the second, third and fourth position
respectively. But few month after assuming office, Mr Abdullahi
resigned the position and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).

In his place, the National Working Committee of the party
appointed Lanre Issa-Onilu as the substantive spokesman despite
coming last in the election.
Joined in the case are Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

Mr 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 All Progressives
Congress (APC), the 2010 electoral act as amended and guideline for
the 2018 National Convention of the party, the party can appoint
Lanre Issa-Onilu as the National Publicity Secretary without having
been duly elected at a congress of 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 All Progressives
Congress (APC), the 2010 electoral act as amended and guideline for
the 2018 National Convention of the party and upon the refusal of
Mallam Bolaji 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 Lanre Issa-Onilu having
come fourth in the election and upon the refusal of the Mallam
Bolaji 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.

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

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