The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) on Saturday passed a vote of no confidence and suspended the entire members of its Board of Trustees (BOT) until further notice.
The party disclosed this in a communiqué, issued by its National Executive Committee (NEC) after its meeting on Saturday in Abuja. The communiqué was signed by 30 members of the executive and read by APM National Chairman, Mamman Dantalle.
The communiqué stated that the party officials met and considered the status of the state APM and the nation with respect to the frenzy being generated in the political ecosystem of the county.
The NEC said that it met and reviewed the constitutional structure, duties and activities of the Party’s BOT as enshrined in Article 9 Section A2 (A-K) of APM Constitution.
“After a thorough review, we resolved that the BOT of our Party as currently constituted is deficient, ineffective and cannot perform its official functions as clearly stated in our constitution.
“Consequently, we have decided to unanimously pass a vote of no confidence and suspend the entire BOT until further notice.
“That we have mandated the National Chairman and the NWC to henceforth continue to function in their stead.”
The NEC said that the party also unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the Dantalle-led the National working Committee.
The NEC said that considering the paucity of funds at the disposal of APM, the party would not allow its leadership to conduct its National convention and State Congresses before the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
It added that the vote of confidence was passed in consideration of the diligent efforts, sacrifices and dedicated manner with which the Dantalle-led NWC is leading the party.
“We have also considered the affairs of APM in all the States of the Federation and have decided to pass a vote of confidence on all the state working committees, ably led by all the State Chairmen.
“In the light of the some crucial exigencies in Edo, Anambra, Yobe and a few other states, we mandate the National Chairman and the NWC to, as a matter of urgency, provide viable solution and way forward in order to strengthen the party in the affected States in the overall interest of our great party.
“We mandate the national chairman and the NWC to initiate a process for the conduct of state congresses and national convention of our great party after the 2023 general elections,” the communiqué read.
It added that the NEC demanded free, fair, credible, transparent, peaceful and inclusive elections and urged INEC to publish all political parties and their candidates contesting elections.
“NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the amended Electoral Act, recently passed by the National Assembly, to enable INEC to prepare adequately for the 2023 general election crucial for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
“NEC is alarmed by the spate of insecurity in the country and urged security agents to expedite action with a view to crushing these terrorists, insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and their sponsors, and bring them to book.”
Dantalle, fielding questions from journalists said that the BOT was supposed to be constituted by 13 members that spread across the geopolitical zones of the country.
He said that presently the board has only five members against the number specified by the party’s constitution, hence the need to suspend them.
“Article 7 of the APM Constitution empowers the NEC in an emergency meeting to make decisions on behalf of the general assembly,” Dantalle explained.
However, the APM BOT Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Awiya, who was present at the meeting, in swift reaction during the press conference, said his suspension is illegal and cannot stand.
He also accused Dantalle of running the party’s affairs like a one-man business entity.
Awiya, who claimed that he brought Dantalle to be the chairman of the party, said his only offence was that he told Dantalle to carry every member of the party along.
He also faulted the claim that the party has no money to conduct its convention, saying we have money but whenever money is paid into the party accounts, the party national chairman diverted it to his personal account.
He also presented some unverified documents on alleged money supposed to be for the party that Dantalle diverted to his personal account.
He said that Dantalle had already been reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the party’s money.
Reacting to the allegation, Dantalle said all the allegations are baseless and false, adding that certain money paid into Awiya account could not be accounted for till date.
