APC: Fresh Crisis Over Oshiomhole’s Appointment Of Party’s Scribe

By Tosin Olatokunbo

A fresh crisis is brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC barely three months after the Supreme court vacated an order stopping Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s chairman from parading himself as such and reinstated him.

The crisis of leadership nearly tore the party into pieces before the apex court intervened.

Whoever thought that the proverbial sleeping dog has been allowed to rest, is wrong as a fresh wound has now been opened by the party’s deputy National Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, on Wednesday, who warned that Oshiomhole’s leadership posed a danger to the unity of APC.

Shuaibu accused Oshiomhole of various acts of lawlessness, including his appointment of Waziri Bulama as the party’s new National Secretary.

He said the party stood the risk of disintegration if the alleged arbitrariness of its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was not immediately checked.

He said the reinstatement of Oshiomhole has not taught him a good lesson.

Shuaibu in a statement titled “APC and its future, let us exercise caution,” said the APC boss should be stopped from running a one man show, which is capable of destroying the party.

He insisted that Oshiomhole must step down for the APC to move forward.

The party chieftain said many did not take his concerns seriously when he asked Oshiomhole to step down and allow the party refocus and rebuild.

He said the APC, under Oshimhole’s leadership has been riderless and now  “subject to arbitrary administration, without dictates of the law.

The ruling party which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law, is now the nest of lawlessness.”

He said all the issues he raised last year have not been addressed and that situation in the party has now become worse.

The letter read, “Interestingly, all the issues I raised in my said letter have come to pass. Till date, the party, founded on the principles of constitutionalism and rule of law, is now subject of arbitrary administration, without regard for the dictates of the law.

“The ruling party which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law, is now the nest of lawlessness. The entire legal framework governing the party administration in Nigeria today, the Nigerian constitution, the party constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC regulations and guidelines are more honoured by the party in breaches than obedience.

“To buttress my above assertion, the following few examples will drive the point home. By (Article 9.1(ii) and 9.4 (i) of the APC Constitution as amended, pages 6 and 8) every member will be registered at his ward when his or her name is entered in the register by the Ward Executives.
My understanding of this provision is that power in the party is exercised bottom up! What this means is that every member of the party is answerable to his constituency. Being a party member therefore is a constitutional issue embedded in the membership register.

“Also, the constitution of the party stipulates a mandatory meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) every three months (Article 25 B (i) of the APC constitution as amended.). This regular meeting is not only targeted at keeping the members abreast of developments, but ensuring collective responsibility of decision taken by the combined effect of the above provision and Article 18 of the APC Constitution as amended).

“NEC is the main decision-making organ after the convention, and shall meet every three months. The power to set up standing or ad-hoc committees of the party is vested in the same NEC.”

He said the party boss has become a dictator who now runs the party as he likes without inputs from other members of NEC.

“It is this refusal to convene NEC to perform its role that has led the party to the comatose state it is now. My fear is, it is being repeated now for Ondo and Edo,” he said.

For instance, he said Oshiomhole singlehandedly appointed Bulama as secretary against every democratic norms.

Acxording to him “There is nowhere in that same constitution where it was envisaged that an officer of the party could be appointed by the chairman nor the NWC.

Not even NEC has the power to appoint any national officer of the party in any capacity. Let me ask this simple question, what is difficult in organising a midterm convention to elect the officers in line with the constitution so that even the officers will have confidence that they are elected like all other officers.

The constitution of the party in Article 25 (A) (1) page 89 stipulates that there shall be a convention every two years.

We had convention in 2018 and another one is due in 2020. What is the hurry in appointing an acting national secretary when we have the duly elected Deputy National Secretary who have been acting in that capacity since December 2018 in line with Article 14.4 of the constitution on page 58?”

Shuaibu called the party leadership to intervene.

He said “What are the leaders of the party doing in the midst of this anarchy? Are they all equally fed up with the seeming collapsing party in the hands of a politically injured person that seems to be nursing political revenge? The leaders need to take a stand so that the followers know whether the party is now either a jungle or that entity of our collective dream at the inception.

Majority of the members of the party are already perplexed, disillusioned and some even weighing their options. A stich in time, I believe, saves nine!

Article 2 of the APC Constitution, provides that subject to the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and any other laws for the time being in force in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the provisions of this constitution SHALL be SUPREME PROVIDED that where any rule, regulation or any other enactment shall, to the extent of its inconsistency, be null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

This document leaves no room for any form of aberration or brigandage.”

Shuaibu has last May demanded the resignation of Oshiomhole who he said was responsible for the APC electoral misfortunes in Zamfara and other states.

Meanwhile, the magazine learnt some APC governors not happy with his leadership could revisit their demand for him to step down, this may further divide the party as governors supporting him will rally behind him, political analysts say.