Following the call for a National Executive Council meeting by select individuals of the National Executives of the Alliance for Democracy, an enlarged members of the Executive Council has distanced themselves from the purported call for the meeting.
The group which disowned the meeting slated for Thursday in Abuja, also distanced the larger members of the National executives from the meeting, describing it as “illegal”.
The AD NEC members namely Otunba (Dr.) Tayo Onayemi, National Vice Chairman (South-west), Mrs. Yinka Nola,
National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Kehinde Aworele, National Legal Officer disclosed the resolve in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan, on behalf of the larger National Executive members of the party.
According to the NEC members in the statement, the planned meeting is in contravention of Article 11.2 (i and ii) of the constitution of Alliance for Democracy (AD), which stipulates atleast a seven day notice to all National Executive members before NEC meeting can hold, adding that only two members of the National executives, without the consent of the majority called the purported “illegal” meeting.
They said, “Our attention has been drawn to a “NEC meeting” slated for Thursday, the 11th of October 2018, at Abuja, by Mr. Joseph Avazi and Mr. Akin Fashogbon. This is to publicly disown the illegal meeting.
“The planned meeting is in contravention of Article 11.2 (i and ii) of the constitution of Alliance for Democracy (AD), which requires a 7 DAY NOTICE before such a meeting could be validly held.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the notice to this NEC meeting is less than 72 hours, and was not communicated to all
entitled to attend.”
They however advised all AD candidates for all elective offices in the next general elections “to pay their nomination fees, only in bank drafts from any commercial bank in favour of Alliance For
Democracy National Secretariat, Abuja, and not to any individual’s account or in cash.”
Condemning in absolute terms, the strong arm tactics of Mr. Joseph
Avazi who has allegedly used thugs to intimidate some officers of the party in the National Secretariat, the executive members appealed to the Nigerian Police not to allow itself to be used by Mr Avazi to settle political disputes.
The statement also urged the members to be law abiding, and await the outcome of the adjudication of the Federal High Court in a case with suit number: FHC/ABJ/597/2018, and the one with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/938/2018 which bothers on the legality of caretaker executive in the party.
