The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, to stop levying spurious allegations against the national leadership of the party.
The embattled Imo State governor had alleged that the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun ‘disobeyed’ court orders regarding Congresses in Imo State and inauguration of the state’s party executives.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ruling party described Okorocha’s allegation as spurious, insisting that the party did not receive any court order stopping the congress.
“In reacting to recent allegations by the Imo State governor that Oyegun ‘disobeyed’ court orders regarding congresses in Imo State and inauguration of the state’s party executives, the APC wishes to state that these allegations are spurious as the party did not at any time receive any court injunctions regarding the congresses in Imo.”
“Therefore, we urge the Imo State governor to desist from making these kinds of allegations that have no basis in facts. In conducting the congresses across the country, in considering the outcomes of each one of them and in swearing in the respective state chairmen, the National Working Committee (NWC) had strictly followed the guiding rules and the constitution of the party,” the statement added.
The ruling party however advised the embattled governor to explore other mechanism spelt out in the party’s constitution.
“There is always room for redress where justified, hence, we encourage the Imo State governor to explore internal dispute resolution mechanisms spelt out by our constitution to address his perceived grievances.
“While we urge compromise among party stakeholders, the party has already mandated the Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawali Shuaibu to head our reconciliation efforts following issues that arose from recently conducted ward, local government and state congresses,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the ruling party has appealed to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to consider granting national honour on the wife of to Moshood Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
“While joining Nigerians from all walks of life in commending President Buhari for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, as well as granting posthumous award of Nigeria’s highest national honour (Grand Commander of the Federal Republic) to Moshood Abiola, winner of the annulled presidential election of June 12, 1993, the APC calls on the president to consider granting similar honour on Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
The APC believes that Alhaja Kudirat Abiola who paid the supreme price with her assassination in Lagos on June 4, 1996 at the heat of the mobilisation for the restoration of her husband’s mandate as the winner of the 1993 presidential election, deserves to be honoured in her own right, as a heroin and martyr of democracy in Nigeria.
“APC recall how she mobilised market women, students, activists and other human rights community against military rule and the struggle for a truly democratic nation.
“The party equally commended the decision to honour Abiola’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe, and late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi SAN with the second highest national honour, Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON).
“In taking this courageous and patriotic decision, the President has again displayed a sincerity of purpose and his well-known penchant for doing the right thing irrespective of political and sundry considerations,” the statement emphasised.
