As the leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) festers ahead of Tuesday’s controversial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting called by anti-Oshiomhole forces, there are strong indications that cracks are beginning to develop in their rank.
The bone of contention is who replaces Mr. Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman of the party.
The Chairman of the APC Reconciliation Committee, Chief Adebisi Akande, yesterday expressed worries over the rate at which party members are resorting to litigation to resolve issues that could be handled internally.
The Nation learnt that a meeting of APC governors opposed to Oshiomhole held in Abuja on Friday discussed and frowned at the resolution of an earlier meeting of some Southsouth APC leaders backing the current acting national Secretary of the party, Victor Giadom, from Rivers State to take over from Oshiomhole either in acting capacity or substantive role.
Four ministers from the Southsouth attended the meeting which was convened by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
The Ministers in attendance were Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation ), Mr. Festus Keyamo (Minister of State for Labour ), Dr. Osagie Ehanire (Health) and Goody Jedy Agba (Minister of State for Power).
Participants at the meeting wanted Oshiomhole sacked as early as possible and his position taken over by someone from the same region.
Reading a memo at the meeting, Governor Obaseki reportedly said: “as a party we commend our brother, the acting chairman of the APC Victor Giadom, for rising to the occasion by providing leadership for the party in these trying times.
“We fully support the convening of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, as the NEC is the only recognized organ under the constitution of our party to resolve these crises.”
Obaseki, reading from the communique issued at the end of the meeting said the APC “should respect the present zoning arrangement by retaining the chairmanship of the party in the Southsouth zone, even in acting capacity.
“It further resolved that the most senior party officer from the zone being the Acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, should be confirmed Acting National Chairman of the party at the Tuesday emergency NEC meeting.”
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However, sources told The Nation that some other anti-Oshiomhole APC governors, including Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Ibrahim Badaru of Jigawa State and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state were displeased with Obaseki’s role in the suggestion of Giadom as a possible replacement for Oshiomhole.
Some National Assembly members were said to have accused the Edo governor of abandoning earlier discussions and plans outlined by his fellow governors and adopting a new plot allegedly hatched by Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.
A source said: “Governors and others at the meeting held to discuss plans for Tuesday’s NEC meeting were displeased with reports that Governor Obaseki joined others to name Giadom as a possible replacement for Oshiomhole in event of his sack.
“The move by Amaechi and others last Thursday is strange and an affront on the bigger anti-Oshiomhole group being championed by many serving governors led by the chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State. It is being viewed as an attempt to hijack the whole process and this is capable of causing disaffection.”
The Nation gathered that the camp of those who want Oshiomhole out is yet to agree on who should replace him.
While some of the governors are still backing a former governor of Cross River State, Clement Ebri, the majority of the federal legislators supporting the sack of Oshiomhole are considering former Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, as his replacement. Ebri stepped down for Oshiomhole at the last convention. Governor El-Rufai is reportedly one of those rooting for him.
Another source said Bagudu, Badaru and a couple of other governors have zeroed in on the former governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, as Oshiomhole’s replacement.
The Nation learnt that those rooting for Yari are largely made up of northern party chieftains ready to support the emergence of a southerner as the 2023 presidential candidate of the party.
A source said: “Their argument is that, to make it easy for the south to pick the presidential ticket in 2023, a northerner should be made chairman in the spirit of the zoning formula.
“Most anti- Oshiomhole southern APC governors, including Obaseki, until now are in support of this idea. This is why many are now blaming Amaechi for the endorsement of Giadom by chieftains present at the meeting called by Obaseki in Abuja.
“Governor Fayemi and those with him share this view too. It is therefore strange that some southerners will meet and try to stage an upset by naming Giadom to replace Oshiomhole.”
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