The aftermath of the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as Chairman of the All Progressives Congress appears to have deepened the crisis rocking the party as three party members have laid claim to the chairmanship position.
Following Oshiomole’s suspension, the party’s National Working Committee announced that the Deputy National Chairman (South) Abiola Ajimobi has been given the nod to act as the chairman in line with Section 14 subsection 3 of the APC constitution that states that: “The Deputy National Chairman shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone.”
In a swift reaction to the pronouncement, Ajimobi through his spokesperson Bolaji Tunji announced that a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party would be conveyed to resolve all contentious issues.
On Wednesday however, the APC’s Deputy National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, announced himself as the party’s chairman.
He premised his action on a subsisting order of the FCT High court delivered on the 16th of March 2020, by Justice S.U. Bature, that with the earlier suspension of Oshiomhole, he (Giadom) should act as the National Chairman of the party.
He claimed that the order could not be immediately effected at that time because of the temporary reprieve Oshiomhole got from the Court of Appeal on the same date.
Giadom however said having removed the temporary reprieve Tuesday by the Court of Appeal and considering the fact that the party could not allow leadership vacuum, he had assumed office as acting national chairman in compliance with the order of the court.
He also announced the cancelation of the decision of the Screening and Appeal Committees of the Edo governorship primary which disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki, hinging it on “strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that forbids anyone who is interested in a cause to be a judge in that same cause.”
Few minutes after Giadom pronouncement, another emergency NWC meeting on Wednesday, National Vice Chairman (South-south), Hilliard Eta, said that 16 members of the NWC out of 21 had suspended Giadom.
He said Giadom had ceased to be a member of NWC because he resigned his position to contest as running mate to Tonye Cole in Rivers state governorship election in 2019.
He said that the NWC had reaffirmed the Ajimobi as the acting national chairman of the party and that in his absence, he (Eta) as the National Vice chairman (South-south) would act as national chairman.
The NWC also constituted the committee on Edo gubernatorial primary to be headed by Imo state governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, while the appeal committee is headed by Prof. Mustapha Bello.
The 16 NWC members who signed the statement were the National Secretary, Arc. Waziri Bulama, National Vice Chairman, South South, Hilliard Eta, the National Vice Chairman Southeast, Hon. Emma Eneukwu; National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Pastor Bankole Oluwajana; National Vice Chairman, Northwest, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir; National Vice Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Suleiman Umar Wambai; National Organizing Secretary, Barr. Emma Ibediro and the National Legal Adviser, Babatunde John Kwame Ogala.
Others were the National Welfare Secretary, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari; National Treasurer, Alhaji Adamu Fanda; National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Bello; National Auditor, Paul Chukwuma; National Women Leader, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma; National Youth Leader, Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar and National Disabled Leader, Misbahu Lawan Didi.
