Two weeks after the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, reorganised the Mandate Group without the endorsement of the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress, Lagos chapter, has dissolved all sub-groups within the party.
The Mandate Group and Justice Forum, regarded as the powerful sub-groups in the party, were outlawed by the APC.
The relationship between the two is said to be getting frosty, which may have contributed to the dissolution of all sub-groups within the Lagos APC.
A communiqué on Monday titled, ‘Engendering Party Discipline and Cohesion,’ signed by 27 chieftains of the APC, who are members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, said any member who continued to associate with any sub-group would be expelled.
It read in part, “Party members should no longer make use of these factions or their names with regard to future party business and activities. To continue to hold meetings in the name of these groups or to continue to promote such associations will amount to a violation of this resolution.
“The only permitted use of the names will be limited to historic references. Any violation of this decision is subject to party discipline, including suspension and expulsion. This prohibition extends solely to official party business. We are in no way trying to abridge anyone’s constitutional rights to free speech or assembly. The party chairman is hereby tasked with promulgating more detailed regulations with regard to prohibited and permissible activities for sub-party groupings.
“The party remains supreme. It has developed structures from the ward level to local government and state levels. These are recognised by the party’s constitution. They are adequate platforms for members to congregate and to present their views.
“The APC in Lagos is one party and one family. We must always act in this spirit if we are to attain the dream of democratic prosperity that we set out to achieve,” the communiqué said.
The party urged members to comply with the new directive in honour of June 12 and those who gave their lives to make democracy a reality.
