APC chieftains lock horns over release of coronavirus statement

Two prominent chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Lanre Issa-Onilu and Yekini Nabena on Friday locked horns on who is legally right to sign official statement on behalf of the party on Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world.

Daily Trust reports that Issa-Onilu, the party’s National Publicity Secretary and his deputy, Nabena had been at loggerheads after a High Court sitting in Sokoto restrained the party from appointing or electing “Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu or any member” into its top positions except through a national convention.

While Nabena argued that he has taken over the position of Issa-Onilu in acting capacity pending the time the latter will vacate the court order restraining him from duty, the latter insisted he remains the official spokesperson of the party.

However, Friday’s disagreement started when a statement entitled: “COVID19: APC regrets inconveniences caused by coronavirus”, signed by Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu was made available to journalists on Whatsapp platform.

But Nabena, in a swift reaction on the platform, dismissed the statement, insisting his ‘boss’ cannot sign any official statement for the party until the Sokoto court order is vacated.

He said, “For now Lanre is not the NPS of APC, until he vacated the order. Let Lanre go to court like the National Chairman did.”

Our correspondents recall that Nabena had on Monday enforced the court order, locking up the office of Issa-Onilu, at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

When contacted on telephone, Issa-Onilu said he has not been served any court order, insisting he still remains the official spokesperson of the party.