President Muhammadu Buhari was misled or blackmailed into lending his weighty office to the illegality of the National Executive Committee meeting called by Victor Giadom on 25th June, 2020, members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have said.
The NWC members had announced Senator Abiola Ajimobi as acting National Chairman of the APC after the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole by the Court of Appeal. They later appointed Ntufam Hilliard Etagbo Eta to sit in for Ajimobi who is sick and undergoing treatment.
On the other hand, Giadom, seen as an ally of Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, also announced himself as the “acting chairman” of APC and even called for a NEC meeting for today, which Buhari recognised, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu.
However, the NWC in a statement jointly signed by Ntufam Hilliard Etagbo Eta and Arc Waziri Bulama as acting national chairman and acting national secretary respectively faulted the President’s stance. The Ajimobi group is believed to be loyal to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“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 to turn 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 NWC members said.
