APC and its leadership tussle

The founding leaders of APC are locked in sober reflection as the platform is enveloped in deep crisis. The confusion is overwhelming as the party gets set for critical governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.

According to the party’s constitution, the national deputy chairman from the zone of the national chairman is mandated to act in his absence.

On account of this, former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Deputy National Chairman (South) is the acting national chairman. There is no controversy over the constitutionally validated structural arrangement.

In the absence of Ajimobi, the responsibility of the acting chairman falls on the National Vice Chairman (South), Hillard Ettah, who presided over Wednesday’s emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC).

However, deputy national secretary, Victor Gaidom, has challenged Ajimobi, Ettah and the NWC to a duel. Many observers believe that he was driven by a self-serving agenda, which has aggravated the division in the party.

In the fashion of a military coup, the Rivers State-born politician proclaimed himself as chairman. Arrogating the power of chairman and NWC to himself, he unilaterally decreed the cancellation of the Edo APC governorship screening, an exercise that had been concluded and ratified by the NWC, of which he claimed to be a member.

Also, Gaidom annulled the verdict of the APC Appeal Panel, which upheld the report of the Screening Committee.

The impetus for the latest intra-party chaos may have been fuelled by predictable presidential aloofness. Party chieftains across the six zones were dazed by the turn of events. The tension that has engulfed the ruling party is even confounding to the opposition. But, discerning party members knew that a lone party officer could not have attempted to hold the party to ransom without instigation by some powerful forces and blocs in the party, who are inadvertently bent on plotting the collapse of the edifice.

Although Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, had publicly resigned their membership from the APC, Gaidom is the only Nigerian who feigned ignorance on their exit.

To demonstrate that the Edo primary was the crux of the matter, the self-imposed acting chairman ordered a fresh screening. Therefore, the Edo governor must be screened again by his imaginary commitee. He also said the Appeal Panel still had an unfinished assignment. This means that after the repeated screening, Obaseki’s eligibility must be upheld.

Up to last night, Obaseki and Shaibu had not retraced their steps.

Then, suddenly, the party woke up from its deep slumber. Reality dawned on the NWC that the troubler of peace may have been harboured in the NWC in error.

Gaidom’s status unleashed a new controversy. He was said to have resigned as deputy secretary last year to pursue his deputy governorship ambition in Rivers. How did he sneak into the NWC, where he had emerged as a vocal voice and key player in the imbroglio?

Last night, the competing blocs were strategising on the battle of survival. Oshiomhole was busy with his lawyers in preparation for the next legal fireworks at the Supreme Court.

Gaidom is adamant. To Ettah, he is an impostor.

But, who are those behind Giadom? He was prominent during the first plot to oust Oshiomhole through the back door before reason prevailed. What is his motivation?

Where did he derive the sweeping power he is exercising? Is Giadom the sole administrator of APC? What was the basis for upturning the decision of the NWC? Is APC a lawless party?

APC has always survived previous crisis. Will it overcome the new phase of leadership debacle?  (The Nation)