By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) at the weekend turned into chaos, following the suspension of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) by the chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, even as the BoT members accused him of siphoning about N16million party funds to his personal account, allegedly in a several of one million different withdrawals at sixteen different times.
However, in quick response to the accusation, the NWC Chairman, Dantalle, accused the BOT Chairman, Mohammed Musa Bagana of diverting N10million allegedly given to him by the party to keep when APM had no bank accounts.
Though the meeting proceeded calmly behind closed doors, however, shortly after journàlists were allowed into the venue of the meeting for briefing by the National Chairman, crisis erupted immediately the chairman announced that the NEC had resolved to suspend the BoT members.
Though he made other announcements, including that the NEC had passed a vote of confidence on the executive committee, the trigger for the crisis was pulled when he said the BOT is suspended, hence the chairman of the BoT challenged him, saying he cannot suspend the Board of Trustees.
In the altercation that ensued, NWC Chairman attempted to shut up the BOT Chairman, but to no avail, as he continued to shout at the top of his voice, insisting that the chairman diverted N16million that candidates paid for forms to contest elections into his account.
With this development, journalists were asked to leave the meeting venue, as the chairman had a hectic time trying to bring the NEC meeting to normal, even with the aid of security agents present.
Earlier while reading a communiqué, the APM Chairman had said “NEC mandated the National Chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) to initiate a process for the conduct of State Congresses and National Convention of our great party after the 2023 general election.
“NEC mandated the National Chairman to negotiate with like-minded political parties that will want to enter into alliance or coalition with our great party, APM in contesting various offices in 2023 general election, and still maintain the party’s cherished ideology.
“NEC passed a vote of no confidence and suspended the entire Board of Trustees (BoT) until further notice.
“NEC adopted a new membership card with a code for effective membership drive and identification of members.”
However, fielding questions from journàlists immediately he stormed out of the meeting with other members of his BOT, Bagana said they have petitioned the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intervene in the matter, adding that the offense of the BoT is that it demanded that the right thing be done and members carried along, especially in financial dealings of the party.
