Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Organising Secretary (NOS), Barrister Emma Ibediro, has hinged the attempt by his deputy, Mohammed Sani Ibrahim, to muscles him out of office on his loyalty to the embattled ruling party’s national Cmchairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Speaking to newsmen while reacting to the plans by his deputy to take over his position with flimsy excuse that the court had sacked him, Ibediro described him as a meddlesome interloper.
Arguing that his deputy is not even qualified to step into the position zoned to the South East, Ibediro said: “My attention has been drawn to a statement by my deputy, to the effect that he’s now the acting National Organizing Secretary. I want to tell you that there’s no love lost between us; for all I know, he is also trying to cash in on the crisis within the party, when it is not necessary. I can only describe him as a meddlesome interloper which is not new to me.
“It is not new to me because after I won the election during the APC convention as the NOS, my then opponent and former NOS, Senator Osita Izunaso felt aggrieved with the outcome of the election and took me to court.
“It is also common knowledge that he obtained a judgement against me at that time. That judgment was given on 24th of September 2018 and we quickly appealed against that judgement. And that appeal is still pending because the reasons the court gave was that they were more preoccupied with election matters than to go into internal disputes of parties.
“But I also want to point out that as a lawyer, judgement of courts operate in persona and not in rem, that is judgement of courts against those who are parties in the suit not any interloper, if I may say. We also know that while the appeal was pending, the man who took me to court left the party and went to APGA where he contested the Senate seat for Imo West Senatorial seat.
“And since the matter is between me and Osita, and he left the party, technically he has lost all benefits of that judgement, which is common knowledge. And now this gentleman called Mohammed; this is not the first time he is showing this kind of usual interest.
“When that judgement was given at a time, he came to the office and he wanted to take over. And he was rightly advised by the legal adviser that the order wass on appeal and that he could not take over. After about a year he went to the Federal High Court, Abuja and filed a case, in 2019 and we met him in court.
“And the judge ruled that he had no locus, that he was not a party in the main suit and definitely not a party in the appeal, that the court couod not help him, and as a matter of fact the court threw away the matter. This happened about two weeks ago.
“So, probably, having lost out in the court and seeing the crisis in the party now, probably some people are recruiting him to be part of the fight for the soul of the party. But I think that is very unfortunate. Also think he is wallowing in ignorance. Because he doesn’t understand that this matter is subjudice as it is pending in the Court of Appeal; any moment from now, the court will deliver it’s judgement.
“Then let him be patient, if the judgement of the Court of Appeal goes against me, it is the right of the South East to nominate a replacement, and not for him from Kaduna State to come and act.
“I will also want to inform you that while these things were going on, the South East caucus at the APC South East meeting looked at the matter and said that since what the court asked APC to do was to conclude the election between Ibediro and Osita Izunaso and now Osita has gone to another party, there’s nobody to conclude the election with me.
“So, they reaffirmed me as the national organising secretary, since it is a position zoned to the South East. This happened first at the caucus of the NEC meeting of the South East. I have the letter here. And also on January 2, 2020 in Uburu where the expanded meeting of the South East took place, I had a unanimous endorsement. And it was without prejudice to what the Court of Appeal would say that they have reaffirmed me as national Oorganising secretary.
“But you see this is not what I will be carrying about and I don’t think he knows about it; that is why I say he is wallowing in ignorance.
But even at that he lacks the capacity to benefit from a judgement he is not a party to. He was neither a party to the judgement at the trial court neither is he a party at the Appeal that is pending.
“That is why I described him as a meddlesome interloper who is trying to cash in on the perceived crisis that is going on in the party.
“Perhaps those who have recruited him believe that since I have decided not to be part of what I consider an attempt to disorganize the party; that this perhaps is a way to bend my hands to come back. But it is not possible. Because when I was sworn as national organising secretary after the the APC convention, I was swore to defend the constitution of the party, APC.
“And under the constitution of the party, I might also let you know, because this is the first time I am speaking on this issue, that in Article 21 B,C,D, especially D, the constitution is clear on discipline of members. The article does not contemplate situation where it is free for all, where anybody can seat and remove anybody like what happened in Edo.
“I am one of those who believe that whatever maybe the sins of the national chairman, it is not right for a ward executive to seek to remove the national chairman of our party. It is not in our constitution. I believe that those who are fighting the battle, that it is a matter of time they will come to their senses and join hands and put our party back on track.
“So, for me I believe that everybody can still be brought together for our party to progress. This party has won election at a very critical period of the history of this country. This party has been able to produce a leadership without rancour in the National Assembly, this party whether we like or not, has performed more than it did in 2015. So, it is not an appropriate time to fight. That is my belief. If anybody feels I am not entitled to that opinion and therefore has to go and raise innocuous fight from meddlesome interlopers to challenge my office, then they are wasting their time.
“The matter is subjudice and pending, let him wait if he must act, since what he vied for in the national convention is to be in Acting capacity and not as the Deputy anymore, then he should better wait. And even at that, this position belongs to South East and South East has endorsed me as NOS because as at this moment, even if they want to carry out what the court says, it is no longer possible because my opponent between who I should have issues have left the party and joined another party.
“And this man has been carrying this judgement about since two years, a judgement that was delivered in 2018, he has not come to act until 2020 because he believes there is crisis in the party.
“I pity those that think there is a fresh judgement against my office. It is still this same judgement. It is known to every officer of the party, and since he is an absentee officer of the party, that is why I say he is wallowing in ignorance,” he insisted.