The Chairman of R-APC, the breakaway faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked a court to annul the June 23 National Convention of the party and declare him the National Chairman in place of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Arguing that the APC did not conduct a valid convention, he said those parading themselves as national officials were doing so illegally. 

He therefore urged the court to declare the National Working Committee (NWC) positions filled at the convention as “null and void”.

He further asked the court to hand over the reins of the party to members of his Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC).

Galadmia is seeking: “A DECLARATION that there being no valid election at the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the 23rd day of June 2018 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, thereby leaving a vacuum, the reform-minded FACTION of APC known as the REFORMED ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (R-APC) validly constituted the Plaintiffs and the other National Officers and State Executives of APC to fill the vacuum and act in interim capacities as officers of the APC.

“AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st – 52nd Defendants from parading themselves or claiming to be officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or performing any function as officers of the Party in any capacity whatsoever as their elections and swearing in as officers of APC are invalid, null and void.

“AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 53rd Defendant from holding out the 1st – 52nd Defendants as either National Officers, members of the National Working Committee, Zonal Executives or State Executives of the All progressives Congress (APC).

“AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 53rd Defendant from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling any of or all the Plaintiffs from the All Progressives Congress; or taking any steps whatsoever to harass, intimidate, suspend or expel or abridge or terminate the Plaintiffs’ membership, rights and entitlements in the All Progressives Congress.

“7. AN ORDER directing the 54th Defendant to recognize the Plaintiffs who are members of the reform-minded FACTION of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the current interim National Officers, members of the National Working Committee, Zonal Executives or State Executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and accord them all rights and privileges appertaining to the respective offices pending the holding of valid elections by the Party.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Galadima had written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking the commission to invalidate the election of Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the APC.

However, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, responded to Galadima’s petition by saying it was “ill-conceived and therefore futile”.
 
“In response to colleagues asking for reaction to a letter said to have been written to INEC by Alhaji BUBA GALADIMA, I will like to point out that the action is ill-conceived and therefore futile,” Abdullahi said.

“INEC has no powers to cancel an election it did not organise. Secondly, the man calling for the cancellation of the convention did not contest for any position at the convention; therefore, he has no locus to complain about its outcome. 

“Besides, if candidates were not happy with the election process at the convention, they should petition the appeals committee.  INEC cannot help them.”

After leading some aggrieved members of the party to form the R-APC, Galadima went one step further a few  days ago by teaming up with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 38 other parties to form the Coalition of United Political parties (CUPP).