- Zone declare Tuesday’s NEC illegal
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Despite suffering a temporary setback in the legal battle to retain his seat, embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomole on Monday got a reprieve from the South-South leaders of the party.
This is coming less than 24 hours to the contentious Emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) of APC and hours after the Court of Appeal adjourned indefinitely hearing on the case filled by the APC Chairman over his FCT High Court ordered suspension.
Rising from the well-attended meeting in Abuja on Sunday night, the APC NEC members from the Zone passed a vote of confidence on Comrade Oshiomhole, even as they threw their weight behind his leadership of the ruling party.
According to the leaders, the plot being hatched by those they described as “agents of destabilisation” within the party to remove Comrade Oshiomhole from office will failed woefully because he has served the party well.
In a communique issued on Monday, the South-South leaders also distanced themselves from the emergency NEC meeting called by the National Deputy Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom.
Declaring their position in the communique signed by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; National Vice Chairman, Hilliard Eta; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena; Hon. Peter Akpatason; and 13 other NEC members, the leaders said; “We agree that the National Chairman of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has done very well in the administration of the affairs of our great party.”
The communique further reads; “That under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, we won the just concluded presidential elections, won majority of the seats in the National Assembly, and also won governorship elections in most states of the federation.
“That in line with the resolutions reached by the National Working Committee (NWC) of our party, we dissociate ourselves from the purported NEC meeting being summoned by Hon. Victor Giadom as he does not have the constitutional powers to summon NEC meeting.
“That the said Hon. Victor Giadom is not a member of NWC having resigned his position as deputy national secretary of the Party to contest elections in Rivers State as deputy governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections.
“That we implore all members of NEC to respect the decisions of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our party that the purported NEC meeting summoned by Victor Giadom is illegal and unconstitutional”.
The South South also used the occasion to pass vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari, saying; “We unanimously pass a vote of confidence on our leader, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari,for his sterling leadership of the affairs of our dear country and the National Chairman of our Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.”
Other leaders in the Zone who also endorsed the communique Include; Barr. E. I Adoh-Ogbuta, Deputy National Legal Adviser; Dr. (Mrs.) Racheal Akpabio, Zonal Woman Leader; Engineer Gabriel Idueseri, Zonal Youth Leader; Chief Kokote Ibadan, Zonal Ex-officio; Hon. Ini Okopido, APC Akwa Ibom State Chairman; Prophet Jones Erue, APC Delta State Chairman; and Hon. Jothan Amos, APC Bayelsa State Chairman.
Also on the list are: Sir. John Ochalla, APC Cross Rivers State, Chairman; Col. David Imuse, Edo State APC Chairman; Sen. B. W Degi Eremienyo; Hon. Alex Egbonba; Hon. (Rev.) Francis Waive; and Hon. Israel Goli
