…May Head to Court
The Enugu State Executive Committee (SEC) of the All Progressives Congress APC led by Barr Ugochukwu Agballah has rejected its dissolution by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
In a statement issued and signed by Agballah and other aggrieved SEC members, and released to journalists in Enugu at the weekend, they declared the action of NWC as unlawful, illegal, and unconstitutional, as well as null and void.
The embattled SEC members while citing the relevant sections of the Party’s Constitution stated that only the Zonal Executive Committee or the National Executive Committee can order disciplinary actions against the state executive committee of the party following laid down processes.
The SEC members maintained that the action of NWC “flagrantly contravenes the constitution of the party” and undermines the principles of fairness, equity, and due process.
“We therefore direct all organs of the APC in Enugu State, ward, local government, zonal, and state, to remain in their offices as duly elected officers and to continue discharging their constitutional responsibilities.
“We urge our members to remain calm, law-abiding, and resolute as we take appropriate constitutional steps to challenge this illegal directive through the appeals process provided by our party’s constitution.”
Recall that at its 179th meeting held on October 9, 2025, at the APC National Secretariat, the NWC dissolved the Enugu State Executive Committee and appointed a seven-man caretaker committee led by Dr. Ben Nwoye.
Following the action of the NWC, speculations went wild that the dissolution was a condition precedent to usher in Enugu state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah into the party.
The party had since fixed Tuesday October 14, 2025 for Governor Mbah’s reception in Enugu.
But in the statement, the Agballah led Exco stated, “That the Enugu State Executive Committee of the APC was duly elected through the party congress in accordance with the provisions of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended).
“That the Enugu State Chapter of the APC was never informed of any constitutional breach, misconduct, or infraction that could justify the purported decision of the NWC to dissolve the State Executive Committee.
“That according to Articles 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, and specifically Article 21.3(VI)(D) of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended), the Zonal Executive Committee (South-East) is the organ constitutionally empowered to first intervene in matters requiring disciplinary action involving state organs under its zone and to make recommendations to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for further action.”
The party leaders pointed out that but for one person, other members of the newly appointed seven-man caretaker committee were earlier suspended from the party for anti-party activities and that non of them had challenged or appealed the suspension.
They stated that the chairman of the caretaker committee, Ben Nwoye had resigned from the party in April 2025, with no record of him rejoining at his Ward.
The aggrieved Exco members further contended that the constitution of APC clearly stipulates that only the NEC, and not the NWC, can institute disciplinary proceedings against any organ of the party, stressing that “even the NEC cannot dissolve any state executive committee suo motu without due process involving the zonal executive committee”.
They declared that “the purported dissolution by the NWC therefore amounts to a gross overreach, and is unlawful, unconstitutional, and void ab initio, especially since the Enugu State Executive Committee has neither disobeyed any directive nor engaged in any act of indiscipline.
“That the purported dissolution of the APC Enugu State Executive Committee is alien to the APC Constitution, a clear act of impunity, and a direct assault on internal party democracy.
“This illegal action will be resisted by the entire State, Local Government, and Ward structures of the party. Every organized political entity is governed by its constitution, and the APC, being the ruling party of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, cannot afford to descend into arbitrary rule reminiscent of the country’s undemocratic past”.
While reaffirming their loyalty to the national Chairman of the party and the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the SEC members insisted that they will not acquiesce to the unconstitutional overreach.
“The NWC cannot invoke the protection of judicial precedents to shield acts that are patently illegal. While the Supreme Court has consistently upheld the doctrine of non-interference by the judiciary in the internal affairs of political parties, that principle is contingent upon the party itself adhering to its constitution and the rule of law.
“Where a party organ acts ultra vires, beyond its constitutional powers, its actions are null, void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.
“We therefore reject, in its entirety, this reckless attempt to subvert the constitution of our party under the guise of administrative discretion.
“The Enugu State APC will continue to uphold the supremacy of the party’s constitution and defend its integrity through every lawful and legitimate means.”
