Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank has threatened to take a legal action against the newly nominated National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi for contempt if he issues any statement in that capacity on behalf of the party.
Abbullahi, a former Minister of Sports was on Thursday in Abuja nominated as the new spokesman of the ruling party at a mini-convention organised by the North Central Zone of the party. Abdullahi was appointed to succeed the Minster of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who is also from Kwara State.
Addressing correspondents in Abuja, Frank, who was recently suspended by the South-South zone of the party over an alleged disparaging statements against the party and its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had gone to court to challenge the suspension and the refusal of the party leadership to recognise him as the Ag. National Publicity Secretary, during the period of Mohammed’s absence.
The Bayelsa State-born politician described the zonal convention of the North Central zone as “the meeting of ‘North Central friends of APC,” saying none of the decisions taken there would stand the test of time.
He said: “Another act of impunity has been executed once more by my party and the national chairman. Those people behind what took place yesterday know the truth, they know what they did yesterday, (Thursday) will not stand the test of time.
“I can assure you, Oyegun cannot retire me from politics. He’s my father; he’ll go before me. I can describe what they did yesterday, (Thursday) as committee of friends of the North Central, Bolaji Abdullahi is not yet the publicity secretary of APC, he still remains a nominee until the national convention ratifies his position.
“I respect Bolaji so much but we should not be desperate to occupy political position. It is only the National Convention that can ratify his position as substantive national publicity secretary.
“I’ll fight and resist my position because I’ll not allow anyone to rubbish me. The manner of fund they used to call for the zonal convention yesterday. No meeting was held by any caucus of the party.”
He continued: “I want to appeal to the media not to take any statement yet from Bolaji Abdullahi because his position has not been ratified by National Convention. If he does, I will charge him for contempt of court.
“I want to congratulate Bolaji Abdullahi for his nomination but he should know that this matter is still in court and until the court says otherwise I am still the authentic acting National Publicity Secretary of APC.
“I will wait patiently for the party leadership to convene a national convention and ratify Bolaji’s nomination as the substantive National Publicity Secretary but until then I, Timi Frank, remain acting Publicity Secretary of APC.
“It must be made clear to the plotters of this action that it is only national convention that can produce a national officer according to our party constitution while any other convention like the one of North Central just held cannot do that.”
He made allusion to online publication, which alleged inducement against the national chairman as a prelude to the zonal meeting. Frank appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to probe the allegation.
