Romanus Ugwu, Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja, Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a theatre of war yesterday as two members of the National Working Committee (NWC) laid claim to the headship of the ruling party and issued conflicting directives. To avert crisis, security agents took over the duty of screening of staff and visitors at the gate.
The faction loyal to national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, initially issued a statement announcing that Abiola Ajimobi had taken charge of activities at the secretariat. However, armed with the court order granting him permission to take over the running of the party, former acting national secretary, Victor Giadom, was at the secretariat by 9am to take charge.
A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Eunice Onyemenam, had on Tuesday held that Oshiomhole’s appeal challenging his suspension was unmeritorious.
Gaidom said he had assumed duty as acting national chairman following an earlier judgment by Justice S.U. Bature of the Abuja High Court.
“Having removed the temporary reprieve yesterday by the Court of Appeal and since we cannot allow a vacuum, I most humbly inform you that I have assumed office as acting national chairman,’’ he said.
Speaking to newsmen, Giadom announced the nullification of the reports of the screening committee on the aspirants for the Edo State governorship election primaries.
He said the APC NWC has, therefore, cancelled the decision of the Screening and Appeal Committees that disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen.
He said the party’s NWC also annulled the clearance of three aspirants, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Osaro Obaze and Pius Odubu, to contest in the primaries.
“It is a brazen rape on the rule of law and the Constitution for 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,” he said.
He said whatever role given to Oshiomhole by the APC constitution could not override the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
“We, therefore, ask all aspirants in the governorship primaries to report for fresh screening between today and tomorrow. We call on all aspirants to remain in the All Progressives Congress as we guarantee fairness and justice to all concerned,” he said.
According to him, the schedule and time for each aspirant shall be communicated.
But Hillard Eta, the APC national vice chairman, South/South, also addressed newsmen in Abuja, saying the NWC had confirmed the appointment of the deputy chairman South, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, as the acting national chairman of the party.
Eta said this a few minutes after Giadom declared himself chairman.
He said Giadom had since resigned his position as a member of the NWC to contest as deputy governor of Rivers State, and his position as the deputy national secretary had not been filled by the South/South stakeholders as expected by the constitution of the party.
“In the absence of a leader, the constitution invested rights on replacements and, in the light of this, NWC affirms Chief Abiola Ajimobi, national deputy chairman (South) as the acting national chairman of the party,” Eta said.
He noted that the NWC also constituted a seven-man election panel for the June 22 governorship primary in Edo State. The committee is headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, while Ajibola Bashiru is the Secretary.
“The election appeal committee, which is a five-man committee, is headed by Prof. Mustapha Bello, while the secretary is Kayode Ajulo,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has met with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Uche Secondus, as part of negotiations with leaders of the opposition party in his quest to contest the September 19 governorship poll in the state on the platform of the PDP.
This is coming amid speculations that he might return to the APC, following the affirmation of the suspension of Oshiomhole as national chairman of the ruling party, on Tuesday, by the Appeal Court in Abuja.
Prior to the judgement, Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, had announced their resignation as a members of the APC.
A top party faithful, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed to Daily Sun that the meeting between Secondus and Obaseki held in Abuja on Tuesday, ahead of the PDP’s NWC meeting, yesterday.
The source stated that the PDP chairman advised the governor to firm up negotiations with the leaders of the party in Edo State, beginning from his ward, after which he would be granted a waiver to participate in the nomination of the opposition party’s gubernatorial primary.
According to the source, Obaseki has foreclosed the possibility of going back to the APC: “(Obaseki) is already here (PDP). He met last night (Tuesday) with Secondus. Don’t mind APC, they are just wasting their time.”
Furthermore, the PDP leader noted that the party’s national secretariat was in talks with Kenneth Imasuangbon, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Gideon Ikhine, who obtained the party’s nomination forms for the primary.
“The PDP at the national level is deliberately not overtly involved at this stage so as not to give room to insinuations that the process is being manipulated in his favour. The PDP at the national level has told Obaseki that he should consult the PDP at the local level and get their buy-in into his crossover into the party,” he said.
INEC warns parties on June 29 deadline
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its stance against accepting candidates nominated by political parties after the 6pm, Monday, June 29, 2020, deadline.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, handed the warning yesterday during the second virtual meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He urged parties to eschew tendencies that could lead to litigations in the conduct of their primaries: “The fact that this is our second meeting in less than two weeks underscores our commitment to the security of forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, as well as the increasing number of off-cycle elections across the country. Therefore, as we work towards the two governorship elections, we should equally prepare for six senatorial and five states assembly by-elections across nine states of the federation.
“At our last meeting, we agreed that the co-chairmen of ICCES (the chairman, INEC, and the National Security Adviser) should prepare and circulate a draft code of conduct for security personnel on election duty, based on the report of the special committee earlier set up to ensure collaboration and synergy in the deployment of security agencies for elections.
“The meeting also mandated the co-chairmen to take into consideration safety measures for security personnel in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft policy has already been circulated for consideration and approval at this meeting. Thereafter, the policy will become part of the manual for training of security personnel and to guide their conduct during elections. The policy will be published for public information.
“Turning to Edo governorship election, all political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election are reminded that they must conclude their primaries for the nomination of candidates in the next 10 days. The deadline is Saturday, June 27. I must stress that the date is firm and fixed. There will be no extension of the deadline. While the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates will be the sole responsibility of political parties, our officials will monitor the primaries as required by law.
“Already, the commission has published the date and mode of primaries for each of the 15 political parties that indicated their intention to participate in the election. Similarly, there will be no extension of time for political parties that fail to submit the names and other details of the candidates that emerge from their primaries using the dedicated portal created by the commission. For emphasis, the deadline is 6pm on Monday, June 29,” he said.
Obaseki funded opposition parties -Imuse
A faction of Edo State chapter of the APC, yesterday, said it had credible and irrefutable evidence of Obaseki funding candidates of opposition parties in the House of Assembly and working against the ruling party.
The party alleged the governor funded opposition parties in neighbouring states in recent governorship elections to the electoral misfortune of the APC.
Addressing journalists in Benin City, acting chairman of the party, Col. David Imuse (retd), claimed the seamless manner of Obaseki’s assimilation and open arms extended to him by the opposition was in appreciation of his investment in their political fortunes.
“Obaseki’s sins are legion; he kept 14-members elect of the House of Assembly out, funded the long drawn-out but aborted attempt to unseat the national chairman. This drama is still playing out in court as we speak, and was reflected in the Appeal Court ruling delivered, yesterday.
“He has also sponsored several litigations against the party, its organs and officials. Obaseki did everything within his power to weaken the APC and its structures preparatory to his defection. This was all in a bid to put the APC in a disadvantaged position in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State. So, it is gratifying to have him exit from our ranks.
“Obaseki’s exit will give us room and the much needed respite to enable us strengthen our internal cohesiveness, realign our focus and enable us prepare for the election without the distraction from within our ranks, which Obaseki has come to represent,” Imuse said.
Court adjourns suit questioning Ize-Iyamu’s membership of APC till Friday
A high court in Benin, yesterday, adjourned hearing till Friday in the suit seeking to restrain the APC from recognising Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party’s governorship primary scheduled for June 22.
Justice Emmanuel Ahamioje, who delivered the ruling, gave the defendants 24 hours to file their response, before adjourning to June 19.
The court had earlier refused to grant an ex parte application seeking to restrain the APC from recognising Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the primary.
The suit, instituted by Kenneth Asekomhe, factional deputy chairman of the party in the state, Benjamin Oghumu, Matthew Ogbebor and Unweni Nosa, is challenging the membership waiver granted Ize-Iyamu.
But the defendants in the suit the APC, Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu, are arguing that the court lacked the jurisdiction to meddle in the internal affairs of the party.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to first and second defendants, Victor Ohiosumua, told journalists that they were supposed to take their first and second preliminary objections and then take the originating summons.
“But, unfortunately, as we were moving for the first and second preliminary objections, we were served by the clerk, and the rules of court are very clear on the subject that we need time to file our responses, because of that, the case could not go on today,” he said.