Oshiomhole, Giadom lose out as APC dïssolves NWC

…Names Gov Buni, others as caretaker c’ttee members, ratifies Edo guber primary result

…Buhari expresses worry over shifting loyalty, inconsistent leadership

The suspended National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the Court approved acting national chairman of the party, Chief Victor Giadom, were two prominent officials that lost out when the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved following a virtual meeting of the National Executive Council on Thursday at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

Also, the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu bloc lost out in the power play within the APC as a result of the dissolution of the NWC.

All hope by the Tinubu/Oshiomhole bloc to regain the soul of the party after Oshiomhole was suspended was dashed as the NEC chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a 13- man caretaker committee and extra -ordinary convention planning committee headed by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni as Chairman and Sen. Akpan Udoedehe as Secretary.

The NEC appointed one person each from the six geopolitical zones, a representative each from the two chambers of the National Assembly, Women representative, Youth representative and a representative of the physically challenged.

President Buhari, who expressed dissatisfaction at the discord in APC at the meeting, stressed that there was need to enforce party discipline.

The President advised members of the ruling party to withdraw all pending litigations against one another, and settle for internal conciliation, warning that the mutating disagreements could lead to self-destruction, with dire consequences.

Buhari said: “The issues currently confronting our party at this time are such that should worry every party member. At the moment, our great party is faced with internal wrangling; there are on-going litigations amongst some party members and we cannot clearly ascertain the status of certain National Working Committee (NWC) members.’’

He expressed worry over the shifting loyalty within the party and inconsistency in leadership, which had opened the governing party to mockery.

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“There are also other associated disputes as to the legitimacy or otherwise of holders of certain National Offices of the party. The party is also contending with judicial claims and counter-claims, Orders and Counter-Orders and indeed Judgments and Counter-Judgments that are predominantly at cross-purposes.

“Confronted with these issues, it is obvious that the fortunes of the party are currently in jeopardy, administration of our party is becoming impossible and there is consequently an urgent need for intervention to immediately arrest further drifts and internal wrangling which may lead to total disintegration.

“What we see clearly emerging, is that we are beginning to self-destruct. This, my dear party members, is not just regrettable but utterly gut wrenching.’’

The President proposed that: “The meeting may adopt the developed resolution as contained in the agenda and pass resolutions including: approving the immediate discontinuation of all pending litigations involving the party and its members; ratifying the primary election conducted in Edo State; dissolving the current National Working Committee, and appointing caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning committee for the party.’’

He also reiterated the need to discontinue all litigation involving members of the party, which were connected to issues of the party”.

He added that “the directive had been issued before, unfortunately some members failed to heed the directive. Thus, at this time, it must be made a Resolution of the party which must be effectively enforced with dire consequences for members who choose to ignore the directive.’’

The President said in order to return to the “winning ways’’, the APC must maintain cohesion by closing its ranks.

“We must be alive to the time and the task that is before us. As we all know, we are immediately confronted with the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states. Therefore, this is the time to get our acts together”, Buhari stated.

Members of the 13-man caretaker committee and extra – ordinary convention planning include Isiaka Oyetola, Governor Osun (South West), Ken Nnamani (South East), Stella Okorete – Women Representative, Sani Bello, Governor Niger (North Central) and Dr. James Lalu (representing the physically challenged).

Others are Sen. Abubakar Yusuf-(Senatè Representative), Hon. Akinremi Olaide ( representing the House of Representatives), David Lyon (South South), Abba Ari (North West), Prof. Tahir Mamman (North East) and Ismail Ahmed (representing the Youth).

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The convener of the meeting and former deputy national secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, earlier at the meeting said the meeting was necessary because the NWC was regrettably divided and unable to provide leadership for the party.

He said APC for the past two years has been characterised with serious violations of the constitution and serious infractions that led to the crisis in the party.

Giadom said: “Let me at this point say that the important thing for us as party leaders is to ensure that there is peace, unity, and progress within our party. We must ensure that the constitution of the party prevails in all decisions and actions”.

The new caretaker committee chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni was accompanied to the APC national secretariat by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and some lawmakers, some members of the new committee, and governors of Osun, Kogi, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Plateau, Ekiti and Kebbi states.

In his short address after taking over the secretariat which was earlier sealed, Gov Buni, who was two-time National Secretary of the party said: “I can say I know the party very well, I want to assure every APC member that we will do justice to every one because we have a capable team.

“I am a team player and am here to manage a crisis and if you do not manage the crisis, the crisis will manage you. So without justice there will be no peace, so am ready to do justice to every APC member.

“NEC is the highest organ of the party except the convention, and NEC can function for convention in-between, so any decision taken by NEC is the final decision. NEC has directed that every member in court should withdraw his suit.

“The party will carry all members along, especially the leaders of the APC. Many of them have paid their dues to the party, so we will carry them along”.

Meanwhile, party chairmen of APC in the 36 states of the federation threw their weight behind the NEC dissolution of the NWC.

Publicity Secretary of the Forum of States Chairmen of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Lawal Liman, said the Forum applauded the decision by the NEC to dissolve the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole -led NWC of the party.

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Liman, who is the APC Zamfara State chairman in a chat with journalists, expressed optimism that the party would be further strengthened by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party.

Liman said: “NEC has finally made a good decision. I am sure all NEC members are happy with the decision. Whoever has this party at heart will be happy about the decision. We have seen so much turbulence.

“We have to give glory to God over what happened today because it will strengthen the party. We are now moving as a party. The Oshiomhole era is past now. We just can’t cope with so many litigations with no compromises, no team work. These are issues that are not good for any political party.”

I stand by NEC’s decision on APC crisis — Giadom

In another development, the executive committee of the Non-NWC Forum of NEC was dissolved on Thursday and a caretaker committee put in place.

This is obviously a spill over effect of the NWC dissolution as the Nelson Alapa -led sacked executive is loyal to the Adams Oshiomhole former NWC.

The acting Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, told newsmen that a three member committee will run the affairs of the Forum in the interim.

Sani said: “On behalf of the majority members of the non-NWC, I am saddled to announce the decision of the members of the NEC to express the displeasure of the members due to the leadership failure, ineffectiveness, uncooperative attitude, lack of transparency and accountability in stewardship, financial misappropriation and party unfaithfulness.

“The party caretaker committee led by Hon Nelson Alapa and eleven others is hereby dissolved with immediate effect.

“In place, a three-man member committee is hereby agreed to run the affairs of the forum acting pending when a proper election will be held.

“The officers are: Acting chairman Hon. Abuja Fakai, acting Secretary David Okumagba and acting publicity secretary, Hon Muhammed Sani Ibrahim.”