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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) factional acting chairman, Victor Giadom, has insisted that only the convocation of an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting can solve the leadership crisis in the party.
Fielding questions from newsmen on leaving the party’s secretariat on Monday afternoon, Giadom described the swearing-in of his replacement as laughable.
The pro-Oshiomhole NWC acting chairman, Hilliard Eta, had ruled out the possibility of convening NEC meeting, arguing that the world health pandemic against a physical gathering of people has made it practically impossible.
Responding to the stance of the pro-Oshiomhole NWC, the embattled Rivers State party chieftain, Giadom, insisted on an NEC.
On what he would do before his two-week tenure expires, he said: ‘First, I have always insisted since the beginning of this crisis that the only way to resolve these issues is to surrender this party to a higher organ which is the NEC and I am still insisting that the only way to get out of where we found ourselves, the mess that this party is inside as of now is to ensure that we convoke an NEC meeting and I am sure the leadership of this party at all levels would adhere to that very soon.
‘I have the feeling that there is no other route to restore peace and harmony in this party except through a formal NEC meeting. That has been my decision and I am sure you would attest to it that since I came into office, I have always insisted that there has to be an NEC meeting because there is a higher organ of leadership that is above the NWC.
‘I do not see why we should be afraid of NEC. We have to surrender this party to that organ so that the right thing would be done. Every other decision that was taken by the NWC would be ratified by NEC. So, if we do not have an NEC meeting, it would be difficult for this party to resolve the crisis,’ he said.
Dismissing the claim that his replacement has even sworn-in, he said: ‘That is laughable. Remember I was elected at the National Convention and we have told Nigerians that that level of impunity and rascality in this party must be corrected. You cannot smuggle somebody into the NWC without an election.
‘Anybody who wants to be a member of the NWC should present his or herself for a democratic election. So, you cannot just bring somebody from anywhere to fill any office in the NWC. That is laughable and it cannot work,’ he stated.
On whether he is not afraid that APC could lose Edo, he said: ‘We are very hopeful that the mistakes that have been made by the “former” chairman would be corrected and we will be on time to ensure that we do not run into such situation.’
