Fresh crisis hits APC as Adamu withdraws court cases of Gov Buni’s decisions

A few weeks after the new officers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged, a fresh crisis may be brewing as the new National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, reversed some of the decisions taken by his predecessor and Caretaker Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni.

It was learnt that before Governor Buni left office, he had given standing instructions to APC lawyers to appeal court judgments challenging the conduct of congresses supervised by the caretaker committee.

But the decision has been reversed by the new National Chairman of the party.

This is coming less than a week after Adamu disclosed his plans to look into the finances of the party under his predecessor.

Recall that the APC leadership had appealed a judgment of the Federal High Court recognising the Akwa Ibom State faction of the APC led by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over that of the erstwhile Secretary, Senator John Akpanudoedehe.

But in a letter signed by the Head, Legal Services of the APC, which was addressed to Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) & Company dated April 6, 2022, Adamu had directed that all cases appealed by Buni’s committee be immediately withdrawn.

The letter titled, ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Instruction’, read in part, “I have the instruction of the national legal adviser to convey the decision of the leadership of the party to obey the judgment in respect of the above-captioned suit having been served with the same.

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“Our instruction on the above matter was terminated at the Federal High Court. Consequently, the party is not interested in pursuing the appeal in respect of the above matter.

“I have further instructions of the national legal adviser to request that you withdraw all the processes filed on behalf of the party and H.E. Mai Mala Buni, the erstwhile national chairman of the CECPC, at the Court of Appeal.”

It was gathered APC had begun the process of withdrawing all the cases from the Court of Appeal.

On Thursday, the APC lawyer, Adeniyi Akintola, informed the court that the party would be withdrawing its appeal, effectively recognising Akpabio’s faction over that of Akpanudoedehe.

The Court of Appeal Abuja subsequently dismissed the appellant’s appeal.

The court presided over by Justice Haruna Tsamani alongside Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu and Justice Bature Gafai said that was the right thing to do since the APC had withdrawn from the case.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, and counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, Umar Farouk, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal.

However, the court ordered that the status quo be maintained until the determination of the motions for jurisdiction and stay of execution, which comes up on May 17.

Speaking to The PUNCH, top APC sources warned Senator Abdullahi Adamu against reversing moves by Buni, warming it may lead to massive defection and crisis.

“The best thing for Senator Adamu to have done was to allow the cases to run their course. There are over 200 cases in court at the moment. He should have let them continue,” an APC chieftain said.

“What the new national chairman is doing now is to reverse Buni’s actions and those who feel slighted will be forced to leave the party.”

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