The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari was either wrongly advised or blackmailed to support an “illegal” National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The National Working Committee (NWC), in a statement issued on Wednesday evening and signed by acting National Chairman, Prince Hilliard Eta, and acting National Secretary, Arc. Waziri Bulama, turned down the invitation to the NEC meeting convened by Chief Victor Giadom.

The statement read: “We wish to unequivocally state that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) believe that the President was offered wrong advice or blackmailed into lending his weighty office to the illegality of the National Executive Committee meeting purportedly convened by one Victor Giadom on 25th June, 2020.

“We hereby respectfully implore Mr. President to kindly avail himself with facts of the matter regarding the impasse presently experienced by the party so as to guide him in his assessment of the matter because we are sure that the President, if properly advised, would come to the conclusion that the meeting convened by Chief Victor Giadom bothers on illegality and criminality.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) regrets turning down the invitation to the ‘illegal and unconstitutional National Executive Committee (NEC) convened by Chief Victor Giadom’.

“We believe that attending such a meeting will amount to embracing illegalities and turning a blind eye to the infractions on the constitution of our great party,” the statement added.

Giadom had summoned a meeting of NEC of the APC for Thursday, June 25, 2020.

Giadom, in a notice issued on Tuesday, said the meeting to be held virtually, had the consent of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The notice, titled ‘Notice of NEC Meeting’, reads: “I, Chief Victor Giadom, having been duly authorized by Court Order to Act as National Chairman of our great party and to preside over all meetings of the National Working Committee (NWC) and NEC hereby and with the consent of the President Muhammadu Buhari, (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.

“In keeping strictly to the COVID-19 guidelines, the postponed NEC shall hold by virtual means.

“The codes would be sent by text to the phone numbers of all NEC members.”

‘NEC meeting unconstitutional’

The APC National Vice Chairman, South South, Prince Hilliard Etta, who was appointed to act on behalf of Deputy National Chairman, South, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, while reacting to the issue, described such NEC meeting as unconstitutional.

Eta, who fielded questions from journalists after receiving the report of Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, said: “I sit here on behalf of Distinguished Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the acting Chairman of this party.

“If Giadom is arranging a NEC, I believe that it is your responsibility as a member of the fourth estate of the realm to investigate his locus to find out whether he has the legal or constitutional backing to be able to call a NEC meeting.

“As we speak, the membership of Chief Giadom has been suspended by a competent court of jurisdiction in Port Harcourt this [Tuesday] afternoon.

“Not only is he not a member of the NWC from today, his membership of the APC has been suspended.

“So, when you call him factional acting Chairman, we wonder why?

Buhari in support of Giadom

President Buhari, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, expressed his support for Chief Giadom as Acting National Chairman of the APC.

Shehu said: “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.

“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.”