The All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy National Secretary, Oji Ngofa, on Wednesday said that the party’s deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank has technically expelled himself for taking the party to court.
Ngofa, who briefed journalists after an emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, said Frank’s decision contravened section 13(5) of the party’s constitution which states that anybody that drags the party (APC) to court shall be expelled.
He said, “The position of the NWC of the party on the issue of Timi Frank is that we have accepted the recommendation of the zonal committee that sat on it after reviewing the report they gave to us yesterday.
“Timi Frank did not appear at any of the sittings. He has rather gone to court. So, the position is that we will not jeopardise the matter that is in court now as a law abiding political party. We will wait until the court decides. But technically, by Article 13 (5) of our Constitution, he is no longer a member of the party until the court decides otherwise because it is stated clearly that the party will expel any member that takes the party to court.
“So, we’ve taken a decision to hold on with the report of the zonal committee and await the decision of the court. Meanwhile, the party will have no dealing with him in line with Article 13 (5) of our Constitution.”
He added, “By our constitution, the zonal committee has powers to look into such issues and take decisions. The NWC is just to take the decision to National Executive Committee (NEC) for ratification. The powers to ratify are not with the NWC. It is with NEC we have acknowledged receipt of the court documents. Everything is with the courts. It is not in our position to write him. The zonal committee has done that. Any attempt for us to do so now will be overreaching the court process. By virtue of the action he has taken, he has expelled himself by virtue of Article 13(5) of our Constitution. We will not take further action until we hear from the court.”
A five-man disciplinary committee constituted by the South-South zonal leadership of the APC recommended the suspension and subsequent expulsion of Frank.
The party’s South-South national Vice Chairman, Prince Hilliard Eta, later announced that the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) had suspended Frank from the party in line with Article 1 (d) and (f) of its constitution.
Frank, thereafter, sued the APC over his suspension and the party’s move to expel him.