APC crisis festers as Ag. Secretary fights back, says Oshiomhole remained suspended

...Oshiomhole’s adversaries plotting to weaken APC ahead 2023 — Vice Chairman

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja

Deputy National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Chief Victor Giadom, has defended the notice he sent out on Friday night, convening an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee NEC of the party, insisting that the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole remained suspended.

In a statement Sunday night, Giadom who signed off as the “Acting National Secretary” of the party faulted some of his colleagues on the National Working Committee NWC for approving the nomination of Arch. Waziri Bulama as acting National Secretary.

The statement reads; “My attention has been drawn to a Notice with the above caption dated March 7, 2020, and signed by Babatunde Ogala Esq., Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and one Arc. Waziri Bulama which was aimed at discrediting the position of calling for an emergency National Executive Committee Meeting as Acting National Secretary. The Notice is not only aimed at creating mischief but it is aimed at misleading the esteemed members of the National Executive Committee and the general public at large.

“For the purpose of clarity and putting the issues in proper perspective, I wish to state that the decision to call for an emergency National Executive Committee Meeting for March 17, 2020, was taken in strict compliance with the Constitution of the Party. It is on record that the erstwhile National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole has been suspended by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction. The two Deputy National Chairmen are no longer in office. The next most senior party officials should be the Secretary-General of the party. But as we all know, our erstwhile National Secretary in the person of Hon. Buni Mai Mala is now the Executive Governor of Yobe State. Hence, as the Acting National Secretary, I have the Constitutional Power to steer activities of our great party.

“By Article 14.4 (i) of the Constitution of our great party, the Deputy National Secretary is empowered to act as National Secretary in the absence of the National Secretary and all the actions taken since the emergence of Hon. Buni Mai Mala as Executive Governor of Yobe State are taken in my capacity as the acting National Secretary. By Article 14.3 (ii) of the Constitution of the party, being the acting National Secretary. I have the power to issue Notices of meetings of National Convention, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party. This is the power I exercised on the March 6 and March 7, 2020 calling for an emergency National Executive Committee of our great Party in line with Article 25 (B) (ii) of the Constitution of our great Party.

“Article 25 (B) (1) of our constitution is very clear and it says, “The National Executive Committee of our great party shall meet every quarter of a year”. It is on record that the last National Executive Committee meeting was held on the 22 of November 2019 which is about four months to 17th of March fixed for the NEC meeting which itself is a breach of the party’s constitution.

“While Article 25 (B) (ii) provides that National Working Committee of our great party may summon an emergency National Executive Committee meeting at any time provided at least 7 days notice of the meeting is given to those entitled to attend, the Notice given on the March 6 2020 is in strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution.

“I urge members of the National Working Committee to attend the meeting slated for 17th day of March 2020 as it will serve as an avenue to find solutions to the present state of quagmire the party had found itself in. The meeting will provide the way forward for the party, knowing that the National Executive Committee is the highest organ of the party after convention, as such, It cannot be shut out of its responsibilities as provided by the Constitution of our great Party.

“As for Architect Waziri Bulama who purportedly signed the document as the party’s National Secretary, he is not a member of the National Executive Committee or National Working Committee as his alleged Nomination as National Secretary of the Party has no legal footing because it fails to meet the requirements provided by virtue of Article 20(1)(a) of the party’s constitution. He is definitely not the National Secretary the party”, Giadom declared

Meanwhile, the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Hilliard Eta, has defended Comrade Oshiomhole, saying those waging war against him are merely plotting to weaken the party in order to push APC members to another party where they (anti-Oshiomhole forces) can realize their ambition of joining the 2023 presidential race.

The APC Vice Chairman, who disclosed this while debunking report in a national daily that the people of the South-South have abandoned Oshiomhole, asserted that Oshiomhole remained the best for the position.

He said Oshiomhole is enjoying the support of the leaders of the zone contrary to reports in a section of the media.

According to him; “I was surprised when I read the report that the South-South has abandoned Oshiomhole. That is completely untrue and being fueled by those plotting evil against the national chairman. I am the National Vice Chairman of the party in the South-South zone, and I know better. The political leader of the zone who is the Deputy Senate President (Ovie Omo-Agege) was not contacted by anyone to know the position of the zone.

“So, I wonder where that Newspaper got its information from. As I speak with you, the zone is implicitly behind the National Chairman of our party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. We are fully in support of our chairman and people from outside of our zone will not tell us how we will manage the office that was zoned to our region.

“We believe that the Chairman is doing very well and on account of his performance, the zone stands solidly behind him. We have continuously and persistently said so because nothing has fundamentally changed”.

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