President Muhammadu Buhari has backed aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members who wish to sue the party over the outcome of primary elections in some states.
Buhari, in a statement issued by his media aide Femi Adesina on Monday, said the court remained the last option for the amicable resolution of disputes, advising that the party must allow members to fully explore their democratic and legal rights.
The ruling APC has been battling post-primary election crises amid fears that the development may affect the party’s chances at the 2019 general elections.
Reacting to the court cases instituted by some members, APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole had issued strong warnings asking those that took the party to court to withdraw their cases or face sanctions.
Adesina’s statement, however, quoted the president as saying, “We can’t deliberately deny people of their rights. “We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either through direct, indirect or consensus method, and if anyone feels unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court.
“The court should always be the last resort for the dissatisfied. For the party to outlaw the court process is not acceptable to me.”
In a related development, President Buhari has also advised members to work with the reconciliation committees empanelled for the six geo-political zones by the APC, and not a purported presidential committee on reconciliation, stressing that the party is the only body authorised to constitute such committees.
