The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new dimension as Hilliard Eta, Vice Chairman of the party in South South, has announced his take over as the acting National Chairman of the APC.
There has been confusion in the ruling party following the Appeal Court decision that upheld the suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the party’s National Chairman on Tuesday.
KanyiDaily recalls on Tuesday that the APC had appointed Abiola Ajimobi as the party’s acting National Chairman following Oshiomhole’s suspension.
In a swift reaction, Victor Giadom, through his counsel Oluwole Afolabi, stated that being the highest-ranking official following Oshiomhole’s suspension, he is now the substantial acting chairman of the party, according to a High Court in Abuja.
Afolabi stated that a statement released by the APC affirming Ajimobi as Acting Chairman must been have issued in error or out of ignorance of the order of the FCT High Court issued on 16th of March, 2020, by Hon. Justice S.U Bature in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/6447/2020.
He warned that anyone who attempts to parade himself/herself other than Victor Giadom as the Acting Chairman of the APC would be facing contempt of court proceedings.
However, during a press conference at the national secretariat of the party on Wednesday, Eta declared himself as the APC acting national chairman, explaining that his appointment was in tandem with the constitution of the party.
Eta acknowledged that Ajimobi who ought to have taken the place of Oshiomhole, was unavoidably absent for now to oversee the affairs of the party.
The Eta-led National Working Committee also declared as vacant the office of the Deputy National Secretary of the party, which was occupied by Chief Victor Giadom.
He thereby asked the chieftains of the party from the South-South geopolitical zone to close ranks and nominate whoever will replace Giadom in the NWC.
He declared that Giadom claim to the position of the acting national chairman of the party remains a nullity because he had resigned his membership of the NWC before now.
Eta thereby maintained that the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki from contesting the Edo state governorship primaries remains irreversible since it has been sealed and ratified by the NWC of the party.
“Giadom must be in a fantasy land to create this kind of scenario. If he was still a very young man, I would have advised him to enrol into the military where he could go-ahead to do a coup and become a sole administrator.
“But we are in a democracy and in a progressive party like the APC where the rule of law is held in high esteem,” Eta said.
Eta thereby appointed a seven-member headed by Governor Hope Uzordinma of Imo state with Senator Abimbola Bashir as secretary of the Edo State governorship primaries billed to hold on the 22nd of this month.
