Buhari dumps Oshiomhole

• As APC appoints new national officers

There are emerging innuendoes that President Muhammadu Buhari may have seen reasons to dump the former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, in the storm of intractable conflicts in the party.

Party sources disclosed that the President’s office has been inundated with complaints and petitions against Oshiomhole, including demands by the Progressives Governors Forum, APC governors, for the removal of Oshiomhole after the party suffered monumental electoral misfortune in the 2019 general elections, losing five states to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party sources further said that though the president has been silent on the complaints but became perturbed over recent crises and unending conflicts in the party.

Oshiomhole had consulted President Buhari over his power tussle with Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State which has been generating conflicts in the state APC; but President Buhari was gathered to have told Oshiomhole to go and reconcile with the governor. Party sources revealed that the former national chairman was disappointed after he had expected to get the support of the president in his battle with Obaseki. Accordingly, the loss of the president’s support was said to have restrained Oshiomhole from using the federal might against the Obaseki in the Edo APC crisis.

At the recent meeting of APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, President Buhari was said to have saved Oshiomhole from impeachment by APC governors and other aggrieved party members. The embattled national chairman appears to have run out of luck and the president’s favour this time.

Party sources from the APC National Secretariat further said that the president having noticed the celebration of party members and APC workers at the secretariat after the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday which ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as APC national chairman,  remained silent and appears to be in agreement with the party leadership which subscribed to comply with the court order. Our sources said that President Buhari has over the time insisted on compliance with the party constitution and the rule of law in the administration of APC.

It was said that President Buhari has no intention for intervention to save Oshiomhole but rather supports the decision of the party to respect the court order.

Meanwhile, APC National Working Committee (NWC) on Wednesday approved the nomination of Waziri Bulama as the acting National Secretary.

The decision was said to have been made on January 14, 2020 at the NWC meeting which held at the National Secretariat.

Bulama’s nomination was considered after the resignation of Mai Mala Buni, the former National Secretary in May 2019 prior to his election as the Governor of Yobe State. APC promised to get a replacement from the same northeast zone.

APC NWC also on Wednesday approved the nominations of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, former Governor of Oyo State as the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Paul Chukwuma as the National Auditor.

Meanwhile, Oshiomhole has filed an appeal seeking stay of execution on the suspension order by the Federal High Court, Abuja.