The All Progressive Congress (APC) has cautioned Lawyers to be wary of document purportedly authorizing them to represent the party in Court, adding that authority to represent it comes from the National Secretariat and not State Chapters.
The party issued this notice in a statement issued by the National Secretary which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer.
The statement reads:
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS
(National Secretariat) 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja-Nigeria
PUBLIC NOTICE TO ALL LEGAL PRACTITIONERS
The All Progressives Congress has noted with concern the activities of certain persons who have taken upon themselves the authority to engage legal practitioners to institute and defend actions on behalf of the Party without due authorization.
Some of these persons have on several occasions forged the signatures of some former National Officers of the Party, issued letters of instructions to unsuspecting lawyers, and backdated same to give it the intended effect of being engaged by the Party to either commence or defend certain matters in court.
The All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee hereby states that lawyers should beware that letters of instructions to represent the All Progressives Congress are duly issued from the National Secretariat of the Party and not through any of the Party’s State Chapters.
Lawyers need not be told the obvious, that it is trite, that litigants (the APC) are entitled to counsels of their choice who are properly briefed in that regard, hence they should beware of purported “letters of instruction” to represent the Party where such letters are not duly issued from the appropriate authority and office which is the National Secretariat of the Party and upon the express instructions of the National Chairman.
For the avoidance of doubt, any legal practitioner that receives, flaunts or acts upon any paper purporting to be a letter of instruction from the State or Local Government Chapters of the Party without a concurrent authorization of the National Secretariat does so at his own risk.
All Branch Chairmen of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are implored to please advise their members appropriately.
Thank you
SIGNED
Senator John James Apkanudoedehe Ph.D
National Secretary
Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC)
