Political analysts, politicians, and just anyone with a flicker of interest in the benumbing interest in the Nigerian political space is waiting to see a rebuttal by the Presidency of a ‘strange’ statement by claimant to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Acting Chairman seat, Chief Victor Giadom.
He called for a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in the nation’s seat of power.
Giadom said in the statement, that has thrown a pall of silence on the party: “: “I, Chief Victor Giadom, having been duly authorised by Court Order to Act as National Chairman of our great party and to preside over all meetings of the NWC and NEC hereby and with the consent of the President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR (who is the leader of our Party) reconvene the NEC meeting that was earlier billed to hold on the 17th of March, 2020, but was postponed.
“The reconvened meeting shall hold on Thursday, June 25th, 2020. Venue shall be the State House, Abuja.
“However, in keeping strictly to the COVID-19 Guidelines, the postponed NEC shall proceed by virtual means. The codes would be sent by text to the phone numbers of all NEC members. Those to be physically present at the State House, Abuja, would also be communicated.”
An insider has said that if the Villa does not disown the statement by day’s end, then the fate of the suspended National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, is sealed. “He is a goner, so also is Ize-Iyamu,” he said.
“You can be sure that those in the National Working Committee (NWC) despising that impostor will begin to call him pledging their loyalty”, adding “they will also be asking if they can attend the Villa meeting; he will be the new kid on the block”.
Many APC Governors, including the three who met with President Muhammadu Buhari: Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong and Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, are said to be involved in the plot to show Oshiomhole the door.
Also mentioned in this group are Governor Nasir el Rufai and as an observer put it, his “siamese twin, Minister Rotimi Amaechi”.
It was not clear if a former South-West Governor and Leader of the ruling party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, has played or is still playing his card to thwart the Villa meeting. He is believed to be the strongest backer of Oshiomhole in the grand plots and machinations for 2023.
“2023 is such a big deal it will make or break the marriage that sent Jonathan packing in 2015”, the insider said.
“Meanwhile, we wait with bated breath”, he added.
An inkling into Giadom’s move came on Monday when Atiku Bagudu told journalists at the Villa: “Let me again say that the party is never a perfect assembly. There will always be issues and that is why we talk, but yes certainly, organs of the party needs to meet and Mr. President without directing is always supporting the necessity of party organs meeting appropriately….
“Today (Yesterday) Monday 22nd of June 2020, my brothers the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong and my brother the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and myself visited Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari
“The reason for our visit is to discuss with him as our party leader as the leader that millions of Nigerians trust, to discuss party issues and the position of the Progressive Governors to support all steps to unify and bring about peaceful resolution in our party, the All Progressives Congress and Mr. President listened attentively and discussed with us as a father, as a party leader and he gave us all the assurance we needed to know that resolution of contentious issues will soon be arrived at.”
On Giadom, he said, “I think our party, the All Progressives Congress is a party that believes in dialogue and contentious issues arise when you are dialoguing and we will recall that because of the sanctity which President Buhari attaches to constitutionalism, we held our national convention literally at the same time we are holding primaries because, Mr. President has always said that we told Nigerians that our party is going to be a party of due process and we will do that no matter the challenge of the moment.
“So, young people expressing their views by demonstrating, members of the party challenging court processes shows that the people are free to express their views. And dissent is not to be suppressed. What is important is that all will be taken on board in arriving at a conclusion that will be to the satisfaction of most party members and indeed Nigerians.”
“At all times Mr. President has shown that he is a democrat, he is not running the party. Yes, he is the party leader, he allows party organs to do and decide what should be done. He is very hesitant to use his standing even as party leader, talk less of his authority as Mr. President of the country to direct things, but at all times, he has been alive to the issue and like I said earlier, I believe with the encouragement he gave us this morning, with the level of details he has about all what is happening and the number of people he has listened to and heard. I believe that whatever needs to be done including the possibility of calling any of the organs of the party that is necessary for the resolution of lingering issues will be done immediately.