Again, Timi Frank Demands Resignation of Oyegun, APC NWC

By Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The suspended Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank, had demanded the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the National Working Committee )NWC), for failing to organise a national convention in line with the constitution of the party.

Article 25 (A)(i) of the party’s constitution provides that its national convention shall be held once in two years, at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least 14 days notice to members who are eligible to attend.

The National Executive Committee might however summon an emergency national convention any moment provided it issues a minimum notice of seven days to members eligible to attend. 

The party last held a national convention in October 2014. 

Speaking with THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, Timi said several things had gone wrong with the party under the leadership of Oyegun.

“He has totally breached the constitution of our party, and as a national officer, I believe the party must respect its constitution, and follow it, which is the example we should lay before the people we are leading. But as it stands, we have a national chairman that is incompetent, that does not understand the rules and regulations of the party, and does not understand the constitution of the party,” he said.

“This is why getting to the end of the year, the party has not been able to call for any leadership meeting, either the NEC meeting or BOT meeting. So many things are wrong under the leadership of Oyegun, that is why I said he has to resign, and I still stand my ground. He should resign for breaching and not following the processes of the party,” Timi said.

He alleged that the National Chairman had been compromised. 

“Even when we were in PDP, Chairmen were sacked for not doing their jobs. This is why the National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier on, said the Chairman should resign because of these lapses,” he said.

Frank also insisted that he remains the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, as he can only be suspended by the National Executive Committee of the party. 

“I have not been suspended, there is a procedure to suspend any national officer of the party. This is one of the reasons why we said the national chairman does not understand the rules and constitution of this party, there is a procedure. The zonal chapter of the party does not have the power, because I am a National Officer. It takes only the NEC of the party to suspend me, so I remain the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC,” he told THISDAY.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, when contacted requested for time to respond to the matter.

“I have just resumed, so I would need to get back to you on this,” he said.