APC to determine Oshiomhole’s fate at emergency NEC meeting

Amidst rebellion by some members against the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been scheduled to hold in Abuja on Tuesday, March 17 at 3pm.

The agenda of the NEC which last met in December, is predictably going to centre over Oshiomhole’s position, now being challenged in the court.

A sign of crisis in the party was that the meeting notice was signed by acting National Secretary, Chief Victor T. Giadom and not Architect Waziri Bulama who was named on Wednesday as substantive replacement for Mai Mala Buni, who had moved on to become governor of Yobe State.

The call came hours after the APC Progressive Governors Forum also called for an emergency meeting of the NEC.

The NEC may also consider the tempest building over the recent appointments of key officers, supposedly approved by a meeting of National Working Committee of the party on 14 January.

Arch. Waziri Bulama was appointed as the Party’s Acting National Secretary. He replaces Mai Mala Buni, who is now the Governor of Yobe State.

Former Oyo governor Abiola Ajimobi has also been appointed as deputy national chairman (south). He replaces Adeniyi Adebayo, who is now the minister for industries.

But Ekiti state APC has faulted the appointment of Ajimobi, as the replacement for Adebayo. It wanted Senator Gbenga Aluko to take the position.

PGF’s Director-General, Salihu Lukman described the Abuja High court injunction against Oshiomhole as a “big opportunity” to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general election.

The forum, while acknowledging the existence of the conflicting court orders of the Abuja and Kano federal high courts, called for the appointment of an acting chairman for the APC until the determination of the issue relating to the legality of the suspension of Oshiomhole in court.

“The reality is that our party APC is faced with a big problem whereby none of our organs are meeting as provided by the constitution. In fact, we are even not sure who our members are. There is, therefore, the urgent need to resume the process of party building with confirmation of our members as well as recruiting new members,” Lukman said in a statement.

Lukman said once a National Executive Convention (NEC) is convened, there will be an “emergence a new atmosphere in the party that will promote reconciliation and re-orient the party to regain its political profile as a party.”

Justice Danlemi Senchi of Abuja High Court on Wednesday granted an order of interim injunction restraining Oshiomhole from parading himself as the APC national chairman.

However, a Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday set aside the ruling of FCT High Court suspending Oshiomhole.