2020 was a turbulent year for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Less than three years to another general election, its chieftains have broken into camps to prepare for 2023 Presidency. The plot to hijack the party national Secretariat and its statutory organs have since been fought and won with a particular power block suffering casualties, leaving its leaders with bruised ego. The governors went home with a prized asset, taking over the APC national secretariat and installing one of their own in the person of Yobe State governor, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, as chairman of the Caretaker Committee, sequel to the dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and two-term Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The governors, operating under the aegis of Progressive Governors Forum, won in Edo and Ondo states as their colleagues, Godwin Obaseki and Rotimi Akeredolu, were returned for second term in their respective states. TAIWO AMODU chronicles the diary of events in APC in the outgone year and the challenges ahead in 2021.
March 4: Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sacks Oshiomhole
Confusion enveloped the APC national Secretariat as the Court ordered the suspension of its national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, pending the determination of a substantive suit.
The judge, Danlami Senchi, gave the order following an application of interlocutory injunction asking the court to suspend Oshiomhole, having been suspended as a member of the party in Edo State. The application was filed by one Oluwale Afolabi. In his application dated and filed on January 16, he had contended that the former Edo state governor was suspended by the party and did not challenge the suspension. According to Afolabi, Comrade Oshiomhole’s rights as an APC member was abated by virtue of his suspension as a member of the party by his ward.
In his declaration, Justice Senchi held that the APC wrongfully kept Oshiomhole as the national chairman.
March 5: Confusion
Confusion persisted as another Court of coordinate jurisdiction, the Federal High court in Kano upturned the FCT Abuja High Court decision to suspend Adams Oshiomhole. Justice Lewis Allagoa ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) and police to provide adequate security for the embattled APC chairman.
March 15: Tinubu discovers virus in APC
On the eve of a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party which was aborted in deference to legal advice by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, national leader of the party, Chief Bola Tinubu, had accused forces with an eye on the 2023 presidential ticket as behind the plot to oust his loyalist and national Chairman of the party, Comrade Oshiomhole. In a statement titled,:”2023: A different form of ailment,” the two term Lagos State governor pointed fingers of scorn at those he accused of being infected with the pre-2023 virus as masterminds of the gang up against Oshiomhole.
He said: “While Corona has been presently contained in Nigeria, we must be alert to another sickness that seems rampant within a certain segment of society. “That sickness is old Ambition-virus 2023. This illness afflicts many in the political class along with their allies in the media. Those touched by this malady find that their ability to tell time and discern the difference between the present and the future has been strongly impaired. The carriers of this sickness are confused as to the very season our nation now finds itself. They conflate things, which no sensible person would conflate. The primary symptom of their malady is the driving tendency to believe the events of 2023 will be decided before we even exit the year 2020.”
June 12: APC disqualifies Obaseki
Ahead the September 19 Edo State governorship election, a seven-member screening committee constituted by the APC NWC had disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki from contesting the party’s primaries. Also disqualified from the primary were Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen and Chris Ogiemwonyi .The Professor Ayuba Jonathan-led panel said the decision by both Obaseki and Iduoriyekemwen to drag the APC and the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to court in defiance to the provision of the APC constitution was the basis for the decision. The panel particularly picked holes with the National Youth Service Certificate (NYSC) and the testimonial of the Institute of Continuing Education Benin City submitted by Governor Obaseki. Oshiomhole’s anointed choice, Pastor IzeIyamu was to emerge as APC standard-bearer.
June 16: Appeal Court affirms Oshiomhole’s suspension
A judgement that would generate a chain of events, culminating in Oshiomhole’s ouster was delivered by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal. In a unanimous judgement, a three-man panel of justices of the appellate court affirmed his suspension. Justice Mohammed Lamido, who delivered the lead verdict, dismissed the appeal and affirmed the decision of an Abuja High Court that earlier validated Oshiomhole’s suspension by his ward in Edo State.
June 19: Obaseki dumps APC for PDP
Having been declared ineligible for the APC primary, Edo state governor dumped the ruling party for the main opposition party in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party. At the PDP Secretariat, located along 1st East Circular Road in Benin City, he was received by the leadership of the PDP, Honourable Tony Aziegbemi.
June 25: Buhari surrenders APC secretariat to governors
At an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee(NEC) of the party held at the Presidential Villa, the APC NWC was dissolved and a Caretaker Committee with Yobe State governor, Mallam Mai Mala Buni as Chairman was announced. Appointed as national Secretary was Senator John Akpanudoedehe. Prior to the dissolution, deputy national Secretary, Victor Giadom and national vice chairman, South-South, Hillard Eta, had proclaimed themselves as acting national chairman.
September 20: Obaseki survives
The Edo State governor won the governorship election held on September 19, defeating Oshiomhole anointed choice, Ize Iyamu The result of the election, held in 18 local governments, was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin, the state capital by the Chief Returning Officer,Johnson Alalibo. Mr Obaseki polled 307,955 votes to defeat his main rival, OsagieIze-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who had 223,619 votes. He also won in 13 of the 18 local government areas and thus scored more than 25 per cent of votes cast in two-thirds of the local governments in the state to satisfy the second constitutional requirement to be declared governor
October 11: Akeredolu wins
The APC candidate, RotimiAkeredolu won a fresh mandate. According to INEC returning officer and vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Idowu Olayinka, Akeredolu, won in 15, out of the 18 local government in Ondo State. While the APC candidate polled 292,830, the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede scored 195,791 votes, a difference of 97,039 votes. The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Agboola Ajayi, came a distant third by scoring 69,127 votes.
December 8: APC governors consolidate on party structures
The APC at the end of another emergency NEC meeting at the State House reached a resolution to dissolve all state, zonal and national structures of the party.The meeting also extended the tenure of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the party led by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni by another six months. The meeting equally expelled a former national vice-Chairman of APC (South-South), Hilliard Eta, for instituting a suit against the party and ignoring the party’s order to members to withdraw all court cases.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded More Infections, Deaths, Recoveries Last Week
Last week, the country’s COVID-19 infections witnessed yet another significant increase. Nigeria recorded 5,571 fresh COVID-19 infections which is now the highest weekly cases the country has ever recorded, Tribune Online analysis shows…
A close ally of President Donald Trump and the United States Attorney General, William Barr, has resigned his appointment after holding a meeting with the president…
Bandits Moved Abducted 333 School Boys On Bikes —DHQ
THE Nigerian Army, on Monday, gave more insight into the abduction of school children in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State…
Rays of the afternoon sun pelted her head as she fanned the embers beneath the half-cut iron drum with the smoke permeating the air. “This smoke is unbearable, Iya Maria,” said one of the three neighbours conversing under a makeshift shed about five meters away. Their voices rose and fell intermittently…
International Criminal Court Begins Probe Into Shooting Of #EndSARS Protesters In Nigeria
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has disclosed that it’s conducting a preliminary investigation into the recent #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Wednesday…
He assured that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has provided all necessary support to…
Former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside,…
Obi rated Nigeria as the country that could become the beacon of hope for the…
“This is part of our commitment to promoting cultural understanding and unity through our programme…
The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba has unveiled a three-year…
This landmark designation places Codix Bio at the forefront of regional production for rapid diagnostic…
This website uses cookies.