SUSPENSIONS IN THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), What The Founding Fathers Said.
The National Council for Nigeria and the Camerouns (NCNC) would appear the best attempt by Nigerians to form an all-embracing political Party which belied the hopes of several peoples of Nigeria and aimed at wrestling power from the white colonialist. But even that was aborted on the death of Herbert Macaulay, her celebrated chief. By the time Dr Nnamdi Azikiwa succeeded Mr Macaulay, the Party was already heading the Nigerian way. It soon became a Party of the East, Eastern Nigeria and soon after, an Igbo Party. Forming national political Parties in Nigeria which would be above the dividing fissures of Nigeria had become so desirable yet so elusive, that the military not knowing any other way to do it, decreed them into existence. And so began, though short-lived, the then political dance step – a little to the left and a little to the right of center, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1990. The military itself could not keep its pretense at patriotism too long when it betrayed its pursuit of political power and truncated what could have been a balanced political system for Nigeria, August 1993. This set back formed the background to the formation of the APC when it was mooted. Several attempts had failed. But having a mega Party that would not fail like the others was now an obsession. The founding fathers would therefore create a behemoth, but such as would overcome projected guiles, stealth, long knives, selfishness, maneuverings, survival instincts, brutalities, deceits, lies, greed, corruption and the inordinate ambitions of its constituents. That is why the Party made the disciplining provisions in its constitution so elaborate that it has become a watershed in the preservation of a mega Party.
The provisions are set forth in article 21 at page 60 to 68 of the ALL Progressives Congress (APC) Constitution 2014. The procedure for any form of discipline is laid out in section B (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi) a,b,c,d.

For instance, sect B(i) states,
‘A complaint by any member of the Party against a Public Office holder,
elected or appointed, or another member or against a Party Organ or
Officer of the Party shall be submitted to the Executive Committee of
the Party at all levels concerned which shall NOT LATER THAN 7 days
of the receipt of the complaint, appoint a fact-finding or Disciplinary
Committee to examine the matter.
Sect B (ii) continues,
‘ The Executive Committee concerned shall not debate or
discuss the complaint or allegation before sending it
to the Disciplinary Committee or fact-finding Committee which shall
hear, determine and cause its decision to be transmitted to the
relevant Executive Committee of the Party concerned’.
The relevant Executive Committee upon receipt of the report shall not later than 14 days either ratifies or reject the decision of the fact-finding or Disciplinary Committee regards being had to the rules of fair hearing.
In other words, the APC provides for a dual hearing body at all levels for the hearing of complaints against her members. A complaint is made by a member to the Executive Committee at that level and without any comment, the Executive Committee sets up a fact –finding or Disciplinary body within 7 days. That Committee must hear both the accused and the accuser. This is called the fair hearing rule. The accused must confront the accuser. The complaint fails where this fair hearing rule is not observed. The Committee sends its report to that Executive Body which shall not later than 14 days ratify that report.
Section C then lays out the Appeal procedure and the punishment eventually. In other words under the Constitution of the APC, the party ensures that no member will be surrendered to the self-help of another but would be allowed a distilled process likely to expose the evil intent and jobbery of the accuser through even the appeal process before any form of censure would be contemplated. Without exhausting for instance the appeal process, the APC does not sanction any of her members. Such matters remain non-starters. The accusers at home have to be denuded of their powers by neutral organs in the hierarchy of appeal so that they do not have the chance to resort to self-help which would be their overwhelming desire. If the Party was not that wary, she could unwittingly relapse into the shadows of other mega Parties which had gone before her.
It must be noted here that the above procedure is open only to party men and not non- members of the Party or defectors from other Party. Where rivals in the political party suborn non- members with money or other inducement or promises, to lay the complaint, such complaint are alien to the constitution of the APC. In my opinion such complainants should be treated as felons. The crime of personation having been committed, they should be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned.
Their fates are exactly the fate of those who forge or circulate fake list of Party executives. The prison is their home.
The social media hours ago is a washed with the alleged suspension of distinguished Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, the leader of the ALL Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom States and member of the Board of Trustees of the Party only yesterday. Contacted to confirm the story in his Abuja residence, the Senator expressed surprise at the story adding that he was just hearing that, like the enquirer. If such thing happened it ought to be dismissed since none of the above stated procedures was followed. But those involved should be immediately investigated and arrested, for such report immediately suggests that a crime had been committed. Those involved would have been up to some mischief against the Party. They would obviously be enemies of the Party afraid of the size of the Senator who is by his exploits fittingly referred to as the Lion of Akwa Ibom State. Were the Party to suspend its pillar, it would have shot itself on the foot. In the 2015 elections, the Party with disinformation, ignored this colossus and paid dearly for it. She lost the two seats she won in very adverse or war situation both at the State and the national Assemblies. She won nothing! The Party would certainly not court a repeat.
The information ought to be treated as a storm in a tea cup. But as there is no smoke without fire, the Party ought to be alert to the investigation of this story immediately, fish out the mischief makers if the story is true, as there was no regard to the Party’s disciplinary procedure and proceed to hand them over to law enforcement as men or women set to breach public peace. Otherwise the adversaries of the Party would rejoice.
Kudos to the founding fathers of the Party who made the process of discipline so thorough and equipped to protect the Party from its adversaries and fifth columnist.
Mr Francis Effanga is a Legal Practitioner and Chieftain of the ALL Progressives Congress, Akwa Ibom State. He contributed this article from Lagos.