The embattled chairman of the ruling All Peoples Congress, APC Adams Oshiomhole could see the end to his controversial tenure on March 17 when the National Executive Council of the party meets according to press reports.
It is believed that members of NEC with an overbearing opposition to their chairman cannot now be meeting unless it has been sanctioned by President Muhammadu Buhari who has come under intense pressure to fire Oshiomhole who was once governor of Edo state but has now become the rallying point for state governors of the APC who want him out.
Press reports Saturday say the powerful and influential governors elected on the platform of the party have succeeded in persuading President Buhari to convene a meeting of NEC for the sole purpose of forcing Comrade Oshiomhole, out of his post.
The ruling party has been been embroiled in crisis following a faceoff between Oshiomhole and some members of the party’s national working committee, who have the backing of most of the state governors.
In response, Oshiomhole has vowed to remain in office but if he is forced to step down on March 17, an Acting National Chairman will be appointed to lead the party.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Friday declared support for the suspension of Oshiomhole after the FCT High Court gave the order in a joint suit instituted by the Deputy National Chairman of the APC, North-East, Salihu Mustapha and aggrieved leaders of the party in Edo State, Oshiomhole’s home state.
PGF’s Director-General, Salihu Lukman described the Abuja High court injunction against Oshiomhole as a “big opportunity” to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
The forum, while acknowledging the existence of the conflicting court orders of the Abuja and Kano federal high courts, called for the appointment of an acting chairman for the APC until the determination of the issue relating to the legality of the suspension of Oshiomhole in court.
“The reality is that our party APC is faced with a big problem whereby none of our organs are meeting as provided by the constitution. In fact, we are even not sure who our members are. There is, therefore, the urgent need to resume the process of party building with confirmation of our members as well as recruiting new members,” Lukman said in a statement.
“We need to invoke provisions of Article 17 (vi) which provides that in the event of a vacancy, “the relevant Party organ shall appoint another person to act in his place pending ratification by the National Convention or Congress.”
Absolving President Muhammadu Buhari of blame in the crises rocking the party, the forum called on the national executive committee (NEC) to convene to resolve pending issues relating to the affairs of the party.
The national secretariat of the party has been sealed off since Thursday by the police and officers of the Department of State Services following the conflicting court orders.
No one has been allowed into the secretariat including journalist and staffers.
