Frank sues APC over suspension

Suspended Deputy National Public­ity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Com­rade Timi Frank has challenged the decision of the party’s NWC to suspend him from the party by dragging the national leadership of the party to court.

Frank was last two weeks suspended by the South-South Zonal Committee of the party.

It was gathered that the APC national head­quarters was served with the court sum­mons to appear today (Tuesday) before Court 23 sitting in the Apo District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to APC source, who confirmed the receipt of the court papers by the legal de­partment, the leader­ship has assembled a legal team to represent it at the court.

Frank, however may face automatic expul­sion for violating the party’s constitution which bars members from suing the party until they have ex­hausted internal mech­anisms.

Such constitutional provisions, stipulate in Article 21 (section D, Sub Section 5) of the APC that: “Any mem­ber who files an action in court of law against the party or any of its officers on any matter or matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting the avenues for redress provided for in this constitution shall automatically stand ex­pelled from the party on filing such action. And no appeal against the expulsion as stipu­lated in this clause shall be entertained until the withdrawal of the action from court by the mem­ber”.

The party’s National Vice Chairman (South-South), Ntufam Hilliard Eta, who suspended the Deputy National Pub­licity Secretary, had said that the suspen­sion of Frank followed due process.