APM CRISIS: Bauchi Executives Challenge Disciplinary Committee, Allege Plot to Oust State Leadership

APM CRISIS: Bauchi Executives Challenge Disciplinary Committee, Allege Plot to Oust State Leadership

The state executives, through their solicitors, fault the committee’s constitution, citing alleged breaches of the party’s constitution, inadequate notice and denial of fair hearing.

The leadership crisis within the Bauchi State chapter of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has intensified following the rejection of a disciplinary committee purportedly constituted by the party’s national leadership.

The Bauchi State Executive Council, through its solicitors, S. G. Idrees & Co. (Al-Mufeed Law Firm), has challenged the legality of the committee, alleging that its constitution and proceedings violate the party’s constitution and established principles of fair hearing.

The objections were contained in a letter dated October 16, 2026, addressed to the chairman of the APM disciplinary committee in Bauchi State in response to an invitation titled “Final Notice and Invitation to Appear Before the Disciplinary Committee of the Party.”

In the letter, the lawyers questioned the legal and procedural basis for summoning the state executives, arguing that the process failed to comply with the constitutional provisions governing disciplinary proceedings within the party.

Lawyers Question Constitution of Committee

The solicitors argued that the disciplinary committee had not been constituted in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the APM constitution.

They also questioned the absence of a clearly identified formal complaint and complainant, maintaining that their clients had not been adequately informed of the allegations they were expected to answer.

According to the lawyers, the failure to specify the allegations deprived the affected executives of sufficient information to prepare their defence.

They invoked Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which guarantees the right to fair hearing in proceedings to which its protections apply.

The lawyers maintained that internal disciplinary processes should comply with the party’s governing rules and applicable legal principles.

Executives Fault Short Notice

The legal team also challenged the notice period for the scheduled disciplinary meeting.

According to the letter, the invitation was received at approximately 8 p.m. on October 16, 2026, while the meeting was scheduled for 4 p.m. on October 18.

The lawyers argued that the interval was inconsistent with the two-week notice requirement they attributed to Article 10(9) of the APM constitution, which they said applied to meetings at different levels of the party.

On that basis, they disputed the validity of the invitation and the proposed proceedings.

The lawyers further questioned the designation of the official who signed the invitation, arguing that the office of National Legal Adviser was not recognised under the party’s constitution.

They consequently challenged the constitutional basis for the official’s involvement in the process.

Alleged Plot to Take Over State Chapter

Beyond the procedural objections, the state executives’ solicitors alleged that the disciplinary initiative was intended to wrest control of the Bauchi chapter from its elected leadership.

They maintained that their clients had contributed to the party’s growth at both state and national levels and should not be removed or subjected to disciplinary action outside the procedures established by the party’s constitution.

The lawyers declared that their clients would not appear before the disputed committee, insisting that the process lacked the constitutional foundation required for a valid disciplinary proceeding.

Their position, as stated in the letter, is that the committee’s constitution and the invitation issued to the state executives are fundamentally defective.

The allegations, however, remain the position of the Bauchi State Executive Council and its legal representatives. The letter alone does not independently establish the motives behind the committee’s formation.

National Leadership Urged to Intervene

The solicitors called on the APM national leadership to discontinue what they described as an attempt to undermine the elected state executives.

They urged the party to adhere to its constitution and resolve internal disagreements through established procedures rather than measures that could deepen divisions within the state chapter.

A copy of the letter was forwarded to the party’s National Chairman, signalling the state executives’ intention to bring the dispute to the attention of the national leadership.

The letter was signed by Alkasim Muhammad, A. U. Adam, S. A. Balloko, U. M. Waziri and F. M. Ali, who were identified as legal practitioners representing the state executives.

Questions Over Internal Party Democracy

The dispute highlights the tensions that can arise between national party leadership and state executives over disciplinary authority, internal party democracy and compliance with constitutional procedures.

For the APM in Bauchi, the immediate question is whether the disagreement can be resolved through the party’s established mechanisms without further destabilising its state structure.

The position of the national leadership on the allegations remains material to a complete account of the dispute. The Analyst Online Media will seek its response and publish any substantive clarification received.

THE ANALYST ONLINE MEDIA

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