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The National Working Committee(NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a seven-member election committee to conduct the party’s governorship primary in Edo State on June 22.
National Vice Chairman (South South) of the party, Hilliard Eta, made the announcement while briefing the media about decisions taken by the NWC, shortly after the appointment of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as acting national chairman.
Ajimobi was named acting national chairman, after an Appeal Court upheld the suspension of the Adams Oshiomole as the party’s national chairman on Tuesday.
Eta explained that the lot fell on him to address the media because the acting national chairman, Abiola Ajimobi was unavailable.
He said according APC constitution, when the party chairman from a particular zone is unavailable, the deputy national chairman from the zone acts, adding that in the absence of the deputy national chairman, the national vice chairman from the zone where the substantive chairman hails from steps in.
Eta announced that Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, will serve as the election committee chairman, while Senator Ajibola Basiru will serve as secretary.
He said an earlier announcement by the party’s deputy national secretary, Victor Giadom, cancelling the disqualification of Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, was “strange.”
Eta, who was flanked by other members, said Giadom has no right of claim to membership of the NWC.
According to him, Giadom lacked the grounds on which to take such a decision because he ceased to be a member of the NWC since he resigned his position to contest an election as deputy governor in Rivers State.
“As the person in charge of the South South, we have no record that Giadom returned after the election,” he said.
The new acting national chairman said the resolution of the NWC’s meeting of Wednesday, June 17, 2020 was done in line with the constitutional remedy on the matter.
“The NWC resolved as follows. We are aware of the court order of yesterday and in dealing with the matter we have resorted strictly to the Constitution of APC, because the Constitution is intended to deal with matters such as this.
“That in the event of the inability of an officer of the party, the Constitution is invested with the process of replacement and so according to the Constitution of the party, the NWC re-affirms the Deputy National Chairman (South) as the acting national chairman of the party.
” And in his absence, as also enshrined in our constitution, the National Vice-chairman of the party from the zone of which the national hails from and in this case, the South-south acts on behalf of Ajimobi.
“The party is running on a comeback. The Constitution of the party envisages that from time to time we will have this kind of circumstances, and because this is so, the Constitution provides us with remedies
“And following the ongoing Edo State primaries of the party, the NWC has constituted a seven-man election panel for the Edo primary elections that is scheduled to hold on the 22nd of June 2020.
“And the panel has these names. Senator Hope Uzodinma as Chairman, Senator Ajibola Bashiru as Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, Hon. Ibrahim Sabo, Hon. Ojo Obioma, Hajia Amina Muhammad and Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye as members.
“For the primary election appeal committee, Prof. Mustapha Bello as chairman, Dr Kayode Ajulo as secretary, Hon. Umar Ahmed, Nasir Dundun, and Hon. Rasaq Mahmud as members.
“The NWC also noted order that was delivered in Port Harcourt in respect of the Rivers State executive committee of our party, the NWC is aware of the fact that the court agreed that Hon. Igo Aguma should hold the caretaker committee in Rivers State and the NWC as obliged and would obey that court order.
” We will all make plans in due time to have the Congress of our party from the Ward culminating at the state level in Rivers State.
“It is also noted that Chief Victor Giadom had resigned to contest as Deputy Governor of the party in the last election and that the party has no recollection that the South-south zone of the party had represented him.
“Therefore the NWC has now asked the South-south of the party to present a member of the party to fill this position,” Hilliard said.
Giadom had earlier reversed the Edo state primary elections, promising that a new one will be conducted.
He called on aggrieved members of the party not to leave but remain within the fold as he stated that the days of selective obedience to court orders and other acts of impunity by an individual was over.
“I bring to your notice that on the 16th of March 2020, Hon Justice S.U. Bature in suit no FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 had ordered that, with the earlier suspension of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomohle, I Chief. Hon Victor Giadom should act as National Chairman of our great party.
“That Order could not be immediately effected at that time because of the temporary reprieve Adams Oshiomohle got from the Court of Appeal on the same date. However, having removed the temporary reprieve yesterday by the Court of Appeal and considering the fact that we cannot allow for a vacuum, I most humbly inform you that I have assumed office as Acting National Chairman of our great party in compliance with the order of the court.
“I, therefore, most humbly solicit the support of the entire leadership and members of our great party in achieving this very important responsibility. I want to assure all party members that the All Progressives Congress will obey court orders/judgements as to bring sanity to our great party. Time for selective compliance of Court Orders and judgements is over.
“Our party, the All Progressives Congress, will no longer allow local quests for the control of power to influence our decisions. As your Acting National Chairman and presiding officer in the NWC, we, therefore, cancel the decision of the Screening and Appeal Committees of the former Chairman of the party on the Edo primaries. This is in strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that forbids anyone who is interested in a cause to be a judge in that same cause.
“It is a brazen rape on the Rule of Law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the former Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomohle to preside and select Committees in respect to the Governorship primaries in Edo State being a key player in the crisis in that State.
“Whatever role the former Chairman was given to play in that process by the APC constitution, it cannot override the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which governs all of us.
“We, therefore, ask all Aspirants in the Governorship Primaries to report for fresh screening between today and tomorrow. I call on all aspirants to remain in the All Progressives Congress as we guarantee fairness and justice to all concerned. The schedule and time for each aspirant shall be communicated.
“In addition to the above the Deputy Organising Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Hon. Muhammad Sani Ibrahim, shall immediately resume office as the Acting National Organising Secretary in compliance with the judgement of the Federal High Court in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/733/2018 which removed the former National Organising Secretary Mr Emmanuel Ibediro since 24th of September 2018. This is to ensure strict compliance with the Rule of Law,” Giadom said.