The Chairman of the Committee of Diaspora Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Adesegun Labinjo, said diaspora chapters have been maintaining harmonious relationships with the party.

Mr Labinjo, in a statement on Thursday, said that the APC diaspora chapters, for over 13 years, had been supporting the party and its leadership.

The APC in a statement on October 31 signed by its spokesperson, Felix Morka, redesigned diaspora chapters as “support groups or associations.”

The party directed diaspora chapters to rename themselves, accordingly, to reflect their status as support groups or associations.

Mr Labinjo said the redesignation of all diaspora chapters as support groups or associations was uncalled for, saying: “Throughout these years, they were consistently acknowledged as the party’s diaspora chapters. This is demonstrated through the well-attended events and congresses, such as those held in Chicago in 2013 and New York in 2015, which featured participation from party officials visiting from Nigeria.”

He said that the diaspora chapters also played pivotal roles during and after the election of President Bola Tinubu, by investing significant time, energy and resources in campaigning for and celebrating his victory.

He said that members of the diaspora chapters of the party were also well-represented at Tinubu’s inauguration.

Mr Labinjo noted that the National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the National Organising Secretary, Dr Suleiman Argungu, had been relating with members of diaspora chapters of the party and recognising them as chapters.

He said, “A video dated June 29, 2024, shows Senator Basiru, in his ‘power’ as the national secretary of the party, proudly declared a group as the APC UK diaspora chapter. He surely did not see them as a support group. So, what has changed? Due to these actions, which have caused significant embarrassment to the party, the APC CDC calls for the immediate resignation of Basiru and Argungu; should they refuse, we urge the NWC to relieve them of their positions. Our party deserves leaders who foster unity, not those who divide and degrade its image, especially among members in the diaspora.’’

According to him, during an emergency meeting in New York, the CDC, the chairmen noted that the removal of Basiru and Argungu was necessary due to several infractions and undue interference with diaspora chapters, which go against the party’s constitution.

Mr Labinjo, “It is disingenuous and misleading therefore to read the press release by Mr Felix Morka faking any knowledge of the existence of the party’s diaspora chapters.”

He said that the move to dissolve the diaspora chapters to support groups or associations was disrespectful and a departure from the high standards upheld by the party.

(NAN)