Despite Buhari’s endorsement, APC scribe says Giadom’s NEC meeting is illegal

Waziri Bulama, national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says a meeting of the national executive committee (NEC) called by Victor Giadom, deputy national secretary, is “illegal”.

In a letter dated June 23, Giadom notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of an APC NEC meeting fixed for Thursday.

President Muhammadu Buhari subsequently endorsed Giadom and promised to attend the meeting scheduled for Aso Rock.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bulama, while citing court rulings, said members of the party should disregard the notice of the NEC meeting because Gaidom is not part of the national working committee (NWC) or an APC member.

“We are constrained to once again react to a purported invitation to a National Executive Committee meeting of our great party; the All Progressives Congress (‘APC’) issued by one Victor Giadom who until the last general elections in 2019 held the position of deputy national secretary of the party,” the national secretary said.

“Our esteemed members are advised to disregard this invitation because the author and sole signatory of the said invitation is not by a member of the National Working Committee (‘NWC’) of our party, talk more of being an Acting National Chairman as claimed.

“He had voluntarily resigned in compliance with Article 31(1)(i) of our Constitution to contest the position of Deputy Governor in Rivers State during the last general elections and has not been re-nominated by his Zone to return to that office.

“Further, his non-membership of the NWC has been affirmed by the Courts and an Order restraining him from parading himself as a member of the NWC.

“Our leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is renowned for insisting on compliance with our constitution and rule of law.

“It can therefore not be true that Mr. President supports the convening of such an illegal NEC by a non-member of APC’s NWC. We urge all to disregard the said notice as neither the NWC nor the NEC has called for such a meeting.”

APC has been engulfed in a crisis following an order by the appeal court affirming the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as APC chairman.

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