Ordinarily, Timi Frank, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, should take over from his boss, Lai Mohammed. Based on the constitution of the APC, Minister-Designate, Mohammed, is expected to step down once he gets a ministerial portfolio from President Muhammadu Buhari.
But there’s a problem. Timi Frank’s history of speaking against the APC’s standpoint on certain issues, is a source of concern to the party’s leadership.
Frank has times contradicted Mohammed, and a couple of months ago, called for the resignation of the party's national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, in the wake of the National Assembly crisis.
Timi Frank, in his most scathing criticism at the time, accused his party of playing ‘hanky-panky’ with the National Assembly crisis, while also criticising Lai Mohammed:
“The party’s national chairman caused it because times out of number, some of the leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was asked to take a decision and let people follow that but he didn’t do that. They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.
"In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.”
Therein lies the problem. The party’s leadership and National Working Committee are of the opinion that Timi Frank can sometimes be a loose cannon, who’s prone to make uncensored comments about his own party.
Frank’s loyalty became suspect after the National Assembly crisis, which saw him pit his tent with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Hence, the likelihood of him becoming the automatic successor (as it should be) of Lai Mohammed, has become unlikely.
However, it is believed that the APC may make a move to pass a vote of ‘No Confidence’ on Timi Frank, which will see him removed from his position.
The ‘No Confidence’ vote is backed by a provision of the APC constitution under Article 17 which states that: “Subject to ratification by the National Convention or Congress an Officer shall be relieved of his post at any time if a vote of “No Confidence” is passed on him by two-thirds of members of the relevant Party organ.
Pursuant to this Constitution, where a vote of “No Confidence” has been passed on an Officer, the relevant Party organ shall appoint another person to act in his place pending ratification by the National Convention or Congress.”
Source: Y Naija
