Buhari backs Giadom as acting national chairman of APC

President Muhammadu Buhari has backed Victor Giadom, deputy national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the acting national chairman.

Garba Shehu, spokesman of the president, disclosed this to state house correspondents on Wednesday.

Shehu said Buhari will attend the national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the APC which Giadom fixed for Thursday.

“The President has received very convincing advice on the position of the law as far as the situation in the party is concerned and has determined that the law is on the side of Victor Giadom as Acting National Chairman. Because he will always act in accordance with the law, the President will be attending the virtual meeting Giadom called for tomorrow afternoon,” he said.

“We urge the media to stop promoting manufactured controversies and to not give any further room for mischievous interpretations of the law on this matter.

“In addition to the President, the Giadom meeting will, hopefully, be attended by our Governors and the leaders of the National Assembly.”

In a letter dated June 23 and seen by TheCable, Gaidom informed Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that a meeting of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) would take at the presidential villa on Thursday.

APC NEC meetings usually take place at the national secretariat of the party.

The APC has been embroiled in a leadership crisis following an appeal court order that upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the party’s national chairman.

While Abiola Ajimobi, former Oyo governor, was named acting chairman, Giadom said he had taken over the leadership of the party.

Members of the national working committee (NWC) loyal to the former Oyo later announced that Eta Hilliard, vice-chairman south-south, would act on behalf of Ajimobi “who is unavoidably absent”.

Ajimobi who is the APC deputy chairman (south) is reportedly battling a health challenge.

But Eta had described Gaidom as an imposter.

While citing court orders, the vice-chairman said Giadom is no longer a member of the NWC and an APC member.

Eta spoke when he received the report of Edo governorship primary election at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday night.

“The membership of Victor Giadom has been suspended by a competent court of jurisdiction in Port Harcourt this afternoon. Not only is he no longer a member of the NWC and today his membership has been suspended,” he said while responding to questions from journalists on Giadom’s letter.

“It is not right for you to see 15 distinguished members of the NWC and two met with us virtually, and still call us a faction.”