Fresh crisis in APC over publicity secretary role

From Jide Orintunsin, Abuja

 

There is a fresh crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over who is the National Publicity Secretary.

The substantive spokesman Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and his deputy Yekini Nabena are laying claim to the role.

Nabena said there was a court order restraining Issa-Onilu.

National Legal Adviser Babatunde Ogala yesterday said Issa-Onilu remained the party’s National Publicity Secretary.

The clarification followed Nabena’s claim that he had taken over the office of the National Publicity Secretary in an acting capacity.

Nabena, in a statement issued in Abuja, said there was a court order restraining Issa-Onilu from performing the role.

Read Also: Nabena takes over as APC acting National Publicity Secretary

 

According to Nabena, a Sokoto High Court last week restrained the party from appointing or electing “Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu or any member” into its top positions except through a national convention.

But, Issa-Onilu dismissed the claim, describing it as a joke taken too far.

He insisted that he remained the party’s spokesperson.

He told our reporter that there was no case in any court restraining him from carrying out his duties as APC spokesperson.

Ogala told our reporter that he was also not aware of any court order as claimed by Nabena.

He said: “I am not aware of any court order, nor have I seen Nabena’s statement. But to the best of my knowledge, if there is a court order, the party ought to have been notified. It should have been brought to our knowledge.

“In the face of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu is the National Publicity Secretary.”