President Muhammadu Buhari knows nothing about the on-goings in the party he leads. He needs to be constantly informed. And as the party splits down the middle in its escalating crisis, Buhari keeps blundering because, as the NWC stated Wednesday evening, those he trusts to keep him up-to-date are misinforming him.
The Senator Abiola Ajimobi-led National Working Committee of the party couldn’t help disobeying the president for taking side with self-appointed Ag, National Chairman Victor Giadom who called a NEC meeting to address the crisis that engulfs thr rulig party.
“The National Working Committee regrets to turn down the invitation to the illegal and unconstitutional National Executive Committee convened by Chief Victor Giadom,” the statement read in part.
Since he has been plying series of court injunctions he got to knock of the party National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole of his perch, Giadom has become a pariah in the party, with his suspension and replacement as deputy national secretary happening in less than 24 hours.
But Buhari said he has been told the law is on Giadom’s side. Unwilling to soil his toga of holiness, the president then decided–or was advised — to abandon his NWC to back the former deputy secretary that came from behind to snag power form his higher-ups.
In a statement jointly signed by the Ag. National Chairman, Hilliard Eta, and Ag. National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, in Abuja, on Wednesday, the NWC said Buhari was wrongly advised and blackmailed into agreeing to lend his weight to illegality.
“We hereby respectfully implore Mr. President to kindly avail himself with facts of the matter regarding the impasse presently experienced by the Party so as to guide him in his assessment of the matter because we are sure that the President, if properly advised, would come to the conclusion that the meeting convened by Chief Victor Giadom bothers on illegality and criminality,” the statement read.
The NWC then turned down the Buhari-backed invitation to NEC on Thursday.
“We believe that attending such a meeting will amount to embracing illegalities and turning a blind eye to the infractions on the Constitution of our great Party.”
The Ajimobi led NWC has the support Oshiomhole and his backer and national leader Bola Tinubu.
Which is why Buhari’s ‘mis-informed’ alignment with Giadom has been taken by many as a blow to Tinubu.
The face-off between the president and his NWC is the latest in gale of crisis rocking the party–from Edo to Ondo and Abuja party’s headquarters.