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APC working hard to repeat the Zamfara, Rivers episodes in Edo

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For some time now, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been embroiled in crisis, but just when members were coming to terms with the disqualification of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki from taking part in the party’s gubernatorial primary by the APC Edo State governorship election screening panel and Obaseki’s subsequent defection to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) another power tussle broke and has degenerated in the last few days leading to the emergence of two national chairmen, fragmenting the party into two camps.

Trouble started last week when an Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, affirmed the suspension of the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole by his Ward.

In a unanimous judgment, a three-man panel of justices of the appellate Court had held that the appeal the Oshiomhole lodged to challenge his suspension lacked merit.
Justice Mohammed Lamido who delivered the lead verdict dismissed the appeal and affirmed the decision of an Abuja High Court that earlier validated Oshiomhole’s suspension by his ward in Edo State.

Recall that the Abuja High Court at Jabi had on March 4, suspended Oshiomhole from performing the duties of the national chairman of the APC.

Subsequently, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party went ahead to appoint ailing former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi to act as the national chairman.

However, this decision was met with opposition, with subsequent declaration by the deputy national secretary of the party, Victor Giadom that he was the legally recognised national chairman of the APC.

He swiftly annulled the screening process that disqualified the embattled Obaseki, as he ordered for a fresh process.

Giadom said he had the backing of the members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on the decision.

Lawyer to Giadom, wole Afolabi had issued a statement to counter the announcement of Ajimobi as the acting national chairman.

Afolabi maintained that the judgment that was upheld which led to the suspension of Oshiomhole directed that his client should act as the National Chairman of the party.

The order according to Afolabi was issued by the FCT High Court on 16th

But his claim was disputed by leaders of the party disowning Giadom, and insisting that Giadom’s membership of the NWC ceased when he resigned to contest the Deputy Governorship position in Rivers State.

However, on Thursday an Abuja High Court granted Giadom the right to act as the National Chairman APC for two weeks.

In an ex-parte application, Giadom had sought the leave of the court to take-over the running of the secretariat of the party in acting capacity and chair meetings of the NWC until the determination of the motion on notice.

In granting the ex-parte application, Justice S. U Bature empowered Mustapha Salihu, the APC national vice chairman (North East) to act as the national secretary.

Giadom through his counsel, Afolabi had said he was the authentic acting National chairman of the APC, because he was the highest ranking official following the ruling of the Court of Appeal on which upheld Oshiomhole’s suspension and declared all his actions since his suspension, null and void.

According to him, “The order was given the same day that the Court of Appeal earlier gave Oshiomhole a temporary respite by staying the execution of the said order suspending Oshiomhole.

“Now that the Court of Appeal has affirmed the order of suspension, it is only proper that the Order recognising Chief Victor Giadom is implemented.

“Consequently, we have written to all law-enforcement agencies,” Afolabi had said.

 Meanwhile, some NWC members of the party had met earlier and chose the party’s national vice-chairman (South-South), Hilliard Eta, to act as national chairman of the APC in the absence of Ajimobi.

Etta had on Thursday gone ahead to inaugurate a seven-man committee to conduct the party’s governorship primary in Edo State, and another five-member appeal committee.

The election committee is headed by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, while a senator, Ajibola Bashiru, will act as the secretary.

Other members include Abdullahi Abass, Ibrahim Sabo, Ocho Obioma, Amina Muhammed, and Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The five-member appeal committee includes Mustapha Bello (Chairman), Kayode Ajulo (Secretary), Umar Ahmed, Nasiru Junju and Rasaq Bamu.

However, aside the national leadership crisis, presently, the APC is also in disarray in Edo State, the well-documented supremacy battle between Governor Obaseki and his presumed political godfather, Oshiomhole has torn the party apart in the state, with each of the camps loyal to Oshiomhole and Obaseki.

Observers believe that Oshiomhole influenced Obaseki’s disqualification by the party’s governorship primary screening panel.

Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Ize-Iyamu for the APC gubernatorial ticket.

Ize-Iyamu had contested against Obaseki on the platform of the PDP in 2016 but lost.

However, with the defection of Obaseki to the PDP with his teaming supporters, the APC is running out of time to salvage the situation in Edo if it does not put its house in order. Pundits say that the party risks losing the state just like the episode in Zamfara and Rivers States in 2019 when the party allowed internal wrangling to scuttle its chances.

Presently, it appears that similar situation may happen with moves by the Giadom-led national leadership to annul the governorship primary screening done by the panel set up by Oshiomhole and his NWC after the court ruled that he was the party chairman for two weeks.

“Normally, during election period this kind of infighting often occurs in parties, but the crisis between the Edo Governor and Oshiomhole was allowed to drag too far; I thought it should have been settled by leaders of the party but they did not do that and it degenerated. You have disqualified Obaseki, but he would normally have his sympathies,” political analyst, Idowu Omolegan said.

Omolegan further urged President Muhammadu Buhari to step in and resolve the crisis in the APC, stressing that the party risked losing the state to the opposition in the September 12 gubernatorial election and could disintegrate further before 2023.

“PDP or any other serious party may win Edo if the election is allowed to go on free and fair; the APC have to act fast and salvage the state, if they think they are in control of Edo State they are joking; remember they lost the state during the presidential election.

“I think Buhari should have stepped in, but he does not care because he has served his two terms in office and seems not to be bothered about what is happening there. The PDP had their issues sometimes ago too, but this may be taken too far, it may consume the APC, even ahead 2023,” he said.

But Yomi Farounbi, a lawyer, said the court’s decision to make Giadom the national chairman was binding on the party and should be obeyed, stressing that recent moves by the leaders to act contrary to the Court order does not show that they want peace and could affect the party’s chances in the Edo gubernatorial election.

“It is not a crisis of an unorganised group, they have structure; if care is not taken it may consume them, the party may fall; they have a constitution; are they following it? Are they making moves to resolve the crisis at hand?

“They are just playing games if they don’t come together they may end up destroying themselves and lose the state. Did the committee do a transparent screening for Obaseki?

“We all know what is happening, they should have gone back to Court and challenged the decision of the Court to make Giadom chairman rather than resorting to what they are doing now; go to the Court and tell them this is against your party’s constitution and since they have not done that, the Court’s decision stands,” Farounbi said.

Obaseki officially joins PDP, confident of victory in September poll

While the bickering continues in the APC, Obaseki last Friday, officially joined the PDP in furtherance of his ambition to seek re-election for a second term in the September 2020 gubernatorial poll in the state.

The governor, who had kept a lid on his next move since leaving the APC, quietly drove out of the Government House, Benin City, on Friday, at 2:25pm, headed for the Secretariat of the PDP in the state.

His motorcade drove through major roads leading to the PDP secretariat on First East Circular Road, Benin City, to cheers from both sides of the road.

Speaking to a gathering of party members and supporters, Governor Obaseki, said: “I am here to inform you that upon my resignation from the APC, having consulted widely from within the state and across the country, I have decided to become a member of the PDP.

“As has been demonstrated, this is a party that is rooted in democratic practices; it believes in justice and fairness and respects its members. Today is not the day I will make a speech. You will hear from me soon.

“I am here to go through the formalities of registering as a member of this great party. I know that upon taking membership of this party, I automatically become the leader of the party; that is the constitution. I read it thoroughly last night.”

He continued: “I want to assure all of you that I am prepared to provide leadership that will lead the party to victory. I will provide a leadership that will not only put PDP ahead in Edo State but, as a ruling party in Edo State, we will make sure that the level of progress, growth and participation in the political system by our people is unrivaled in this country.

“I am very happy to be here. The reception I have received has been ecstatic. The energy I see here is the kind of energy I require to take Edo to the next level.”

Noting that he was committed to changing the narrative of the party in the state, Obaseki said, “If you think we have done a lot in the last four years, you haven’t seen anything yet. With the quality of people I have seen here, the quality of people running the party, and the energy of youth I see, by the grace of God who made this day possible, I am committing to you that I will not only lead this party to victory in Edo State, but we will make sure that this party sets an example of how states should be run in Africa. Today, it is with great pleasure, Mr. Chairman, that I have come to formally take on my membership of this great party.

The governor was received by the National Vice Chairman, South-south of the PDP, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, in the company of the PDP State Chairman, Mr. Anthony Aziegbemi and other party executives, including the governor’s ward chairman.

 

 

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