Crack in APC’s NWC as Omisore demands N500m damages from vice chair

There is a crack in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as two of its members are at daggers drawn over campaign funds.

The APC’s National Vice Chairman (North West), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, during a programme on AIT, accused the party’s National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, of mismanaging campaign funds allocated to his home state of Osun.

Lukman was quoted as saying, “I’m aware the party had given some campaign funds to Osun which was handled by the national secretary, and to some extent, he has either mismanaged it, but more importantly, he is not accounting to anybody, and you have to activate the process of accountability.”

But in a swift reaction, Omisore demanded N500m from Lukman as damages for the allegation.

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Omisore, a former Deputy Governor of Osun State, also demanded a retraction and an apology to be published in two major newspapers and several online news platforms within 48 hours by Lukman.

In a letter addressed to Lukman, Omisore’s lawyer, Oyewole (SAN), described the allegation as false and misleading.

Part of the letter reads: “Our instruction is that during an interview on Africa Independent Television (AlT) on the 14th of March, 2023, which was published in several online news blogs, social media platforms, television stations and news media outlets, including on the 15th of March, 2023, by Amiladenews.com, an online news blogs, you made a libelous and defamatory statement of and concerning our client.

“Our client has informed us that your statement is not only false, misleading and without any factual basis, but malicious in all material respects.

“It is clear beyond doubt that your statement and publication was a political ploy with the intent to impugn the reputation and integrity of our client and unjustifiably and unwarrantedly assassinate his character in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public.

“Our client has consequently directed us to request for a retraction of your libelous statement and publication and an apology to be published in two major newspapers and several online news outlets not later than 48 hours of the delivery of this letter and also the payment of the sum of N500m as damages for malicious statement against our client.”

But responding to the demands, Lukman said, “My immediate reaction is that this is an attempt to bully me, but I will respond to him properly.”