APC sues NCC for fund-raising portal shutdown

APC sues NCC for fund-raising portal shutdown

The All Progressives Congress has instructed its lawyers to challenge the shutdown of some of its fund-raising platforms by the National Communications Commission.

This was revealed by the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, at a meeting of the Fund Raising Directorate of the APC Presidential Council, in Abuja, on Sunday.

He explained that the party was left with no choice but to seek legal redress after an action that was clearly a breach of constitutional provisions as well as double standard.

Fashola said the directive to shut the platform was contained in a letter dated January 19 with reference number NCC/CAB/GEN/2015/VOL.1/004, which was signed by officials of the NCC.

Those who signed it included the Director of Consumer Affairs, Maryam Bayi and the Head of Legal and Regulatory Services, Yinka Akinloye, on behalf of the NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah.

Fashola recalled that in 2010, approval was given to the Jonathan/Sambo campaign organisation to raise funds using such a platform but that the APC was being denied the same right in 2015.

He said, “We have advised our lawyers to go to court, they are preparing the papers now. In 2010 approval was given to the Jonathan/Sambo campaign to raise fund (using such a platform).The rule seems to have changed in 2015.”

Fashola, who is the Director of Buhari/Osibanjo Campaign Fund, also explained to the gathering that the fund-raising platform which included the sale of scratch cards and donations into the designated First Bank Plc account was still valid.

He noted that even though the platform was established when Buhari was still seeking for the party’s nomination as flag bearer, it was still up and running and supporters could still donate.