APC crisis deepens as Adamu, Omisore resign
…Kyari, Fuanter take over helm of leadership
…Caucus, NEC meetings postponed indefinitely
…No provision for Acting Chairman in APC constitution — Fmr APC National Legal Adviser
By Joel Oladele, Abuja
The crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continues to deepen as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party have tendered their resignation.
Nigerian NewsDirect gathered that Adamu resigned on Sunday night on the orders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Adamu had in recent times being faced with oppositions within the party following his initial defiance to the ambition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other zoning arrangements within the party.
Adamu publicly supported the former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and also threatened to punish Tinubu over his statement in Ogun State where the latter claimed that “but for his support, Buhari would not have become President.”
This has since created bad blood between them as Adamu was said not to fully back Tinubu’s Presidential bid even after securing the party’s ticket in a landslide victory against other aspirants.
Following the electoral victory of President Tinubu, party stakeholders had since called for his resignation and that of the National secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Sources within the party revealed that since the inception of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, some leaders within the party have been calling for his resignation as the President seems not comfortable enough to work with him.
Consequently, there were indications that the initially scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was initiated basically to pass a vote of no confidence on him and the National Secretary and remove them from office.
Recall that the APC had scheduled NWC, Caucus and NEC meetings for last week but had to move it to July 17, 18 and 19 respectively owing to internal disagreements and intra-party politics.
It was also gathered that all members of the NWC “are on the same page” regarding the compulsory resignation of the National Chairman and his Secretary.
The NWC members are also said to be upset by alleged lack of transparency in the party’s 2022 Account audit, which they said was “surreptitiously secured and submitted without any of the members signing it.”
Omisore’s resignation happened just as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC prepared to commence its critical meeting scheduled for 12 noon on Monday.
He was earlier sighted at the meeting at the APC headquarters around 11:20 am yesterday but left the premises shortly after.
Following the resignation of the duo, the caucus and NEC meetings which were initially fixed for July 10 and 11 but were postponed to Tuesday and Wednesday this week have now been suspended indefinitely since the purpose has been achieved prior to the date.
Following the resignation, the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the Party, Senator Abubakar Kyari, took over as Acting Chairman while Barr. Festus Fuanter became National Secretary in acting capacity.
Briefing journalists at the National Secretariat of the Party on Monday, Kyari who presided over the NWC meeting confirmed the resignation of Adamu and the indefinite postponement of the caucus and NEC meetings earlier scheduled for July 18, and July 19, 2023
Earlier on Monday at 10:40am, Kyari’s car was sighted parked in the slot reserved for the National Chairman and led a team of seven other members of the NWC to a meeting in his office.
The new APC Chairman came in with the Deputy National Chairman (South) Emma Enukwu; National Vice Chairman (North West) Salihu Lukman; National Vice Chairman (North East) Salihu Mustapha; National Vice Chairman (North Central) Muazu Bawa; National Vice Chairman (South West) Isaac Kekemeke; National Vice Chairman (South East) Ejoroma Arodiogu, the Deputy National Secretary, Barrister Festus Fuanter, National Leader, PWDs, Tolu Bankole and National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel.
No provision for Acting Chairman in APC constitution — Fmr APC National Legal Adviser
Mr Muiz Banire, former National Legal Adviser of the APC reacting to the resignation of Adamu and Omisore said the APC constitution has no provision for an Acting Chairman.
In a interview on Channels TV monitored by Nigerian NewsDirect, Mr Banire said, “It is not ordinary, there must be few tricks behind it which remain unknown but I am sure the National Executive Council will know.
“Issues of maladministration of funds is not an unlikely issue as issues like this usually come up.
“There is nothing the President will gain by getting rid of him. The President is usually the leader of the party and there is nothing that he (Adamu) could have said that can discredit the President.
“There is nothing he could do without the Presidential directive and that remains the same situation within the APC Constitution.
“I have always said that some people who found their way to the political party are not competent enough to lead a political party like the APC.
“The APC constitution itself never contemplated resignation. At the time I was leaving office we were making plans for an amendment which I was believing will be implemented during the 2022 convention.
“The only provision you can have is where the Chairman is incapacitated and unable to perform his duties so a Deputy Chairman can step in but that’s not the situation now. There is no situation for resignation in the APC constitution.
“If you want to go strictly by zoning, then the Acting Chairman must come from the zone. There must be an emergency convention to address the issue of zoning through which the party will elect a new Natiinal Chairman from a different zone,” Banire added.
