On a good authority, The DEFENDER can now report that suspended National Chairman of the ruling Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, could not resume office on Friday as he vowed to do.
His loyalists had expected him to reclaim his seat at Wuse II after a Kano’s Federal High Court gave an injunction to set aside the earlier order by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court suspending and barring Oshiomhole from parading himself as Chairman of the party.
They were however reportedly unlucly as they were barred from the party’s Secretariat by security agents thereby confirming that the trouble with the former Edo State governor was not yet over, not even with the Kano court’s set-aside injunction much celebrated only in the Bola Tinubu camp that he was said to be working for and whose 2023 ambition is claimed to have landed the unsuspecting Adams in his current political quagmire.
In the meantime, we gathered that some political strategists of the APC were left pondering several options Friday night as to how best to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the party.
While forces loyal to the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, engaged in serious horse trading to ensure that their principal resumed office yesterday, those against him were said to have gone a step ahead to shop for replacement. One of those reportedly been touted to replace Oshiomhole is a former Governor of Cross River State.
For the party strategists, one of the options is to get the president to ask Oshiomhole to obey the FCT High Court order which upheld his suspension, but the major point of disagreement is about who takes charge in his absence.
While those considered as loyalists of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu want the newly appointed Deputy National Chairman, South, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to take charge, those considered as anti-Tinubu however want the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Chief Victor Giadom who has been acting as National Secretary, to hold fort.
Some governors of the party were said to have met on Thursday night to deliberate on how best to sustain the tempo to get Oshiomhole out of office.
This was as gathered that the Chairman, Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, was earlier on Friday at the Presidential Villa ostensibly to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the position of the governors.
Meanwhile, efforts by some aides of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to gain entrance into the party secretariat were Friday rebuffed by a detachment of security operatives, who have continued to lay siege to the party premises.
The policemen, drawn from the Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Mobile and regular forces had sealed the party Secretariat from morning till evening, turning back staff, visitors and journalists who wanted to access the building.
As of 6:20pm, yesterday, the secretariat was still sealed.
At about 3:30pm, some men who security sources later described as aides of Oshiomhole came around and attempted to access the secretariat. Upon discussions with security operatives at the gate of the secretariat, they left.
Sources disclosed that the national chairman and some members of the National Working Committee, NWC, were locked in several hours of meeting with the Inspector General of Police IGP, Muhammed Adamu. Shortly after, at about 4:20pm, special forces from the Department of State Services, DSS, riding in five power bikes came to the secretariat.
An hour later, some DSS operatives also came in two black Hilux Vans. The mission of the two teams who later left in a single convoy at 6pm was not clear.
Oshiomhole is said to have reached out to his allies among the APC governors, some of who are said to be displeased about the actions of their colleagues. Many of them are said to be canvassing for a caucus meeting after which there will be a meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, where members would be rallied to pass a vote of confidence on the Oshiomhole-led NWC.
APC has summoned emergency meeting for Tuesday, March 17, according to Chief Victor Giadom, Deputy National Secretary.
