Hours after Appeal Court upheld suspension of Edo State ex-governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as national chairman All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom, has taken over as Acting National Chairman of the party on the claim of an existing High Court order.
Immediately after taking over the party, Giadom ordered the cancellation of earlier screening conducted for aspirants vying to become APC standard-bearer ahead of Edo state governorship election.
Giadom’s emergence has caused a crisis within the party after it’s National Working Committee (NWC) announced Deputy Chairman, South West, Abiola Ajimobi, as the acting chairman.
Addressing pressmen earlier, he stated that he had the backing of NWC and asked members to disregard any statement and that the court had affirmed him as the acting chairman of the party.
In a statement signed by party spokesman Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC said its National Working Committee (NWC) had been guided by the party’s legal department in line with the provisions of its constitution.
“According to Section 14.2. (iii), of the APC constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South ‘Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone’,” the statement said.
Giadom stated that a high court in Abuja had ruled that deputy national secretary was the rightful person to assume the seat after the party chairman suspension to avoid any vacuum.
