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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Comrade Salihu Mustapha, has dismissed the claims by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) that Victor Giadom resigned as Deputy National Secretary, but was given a waiver to contest the deputy governorship election in Rivers State.
Armed with court order given to him by FCT High Court to act as National Chairman in March when Court upheld the suspension of the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from his Ward, LGA and state chapters of the party, Giadom has been laying claim to the position.
The party’s NWC miffed by Giadom’s claims had said that he is no longer a member of the party’s national leadership, having resigned last year.
However, pouring cold water to the claims, Mustapha urged the NWC to uphold its earlier decisions not to make caricature of its image, insisting that Giadom was on September 14, 2018 granted a waiver in a letter signed by the suspended APC National Chairman, Oshiomhole.
The letter, addressed to him and signed by Oshiomhole as presented by Mustapha reads: Re: Application for waiver under Article 31 of the APC constitution. “I am pleased to convey the decision of the NWC to unanimously approve your application for waiver under Article 31 of the Constitution of our party.
“By the decision of the NWC to grant your application for waiver, you can continue to discharge your official duties as the Deputy National Secretary while pursuing your political campaign activities. On behalf of NWC please accept our best wishes.”
Mustapha similarly maintained that the party, through a letter written to Giadom by the Director of Administration, Abdullahi Yusuf Gashu’a on May 24, 2019 accepted his resumption of office after the election.
The resumption letter signed by the former Director of Administration reads: Resumption of office as Acting National Secretary.
“I write to convey the resolution by the National Working Committee reached at its 37 regular meeting of 24 May, 2019 accepting your request to resume office following the conclusion of the 2019 general elections which you were granted waiver to contest as governorship running mate for Rivers State.
“The NWC has also approved your resumption as the National Secretary in Acting capacity in line with Article 14.4 of the Constitution of our great party pending the election of a substantive National Secretary. Please accept the assurances of the members of the National Working Committee,” the correspondence read.
While countering the claims that Giadom resigned, Mustapha argued why the party leadership should allow Giadom to carry out party functions and paid all the while.
He recalled that Giadom was not the first to be granted waiver to go and contest election. According to him, the former National Auditor, George Moghalu and the former National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni were all granted waivers to go and contest governorship elections in their states.
“Just like Giadom, Moghalu came back as National Auditor when he lost the primary election of the party in Anambra State,” HE noted.
On the replacement of Giadom with Worgu Boms, Mustapha dismissed it, insisting that it has no place in law just as he vowed to resist it same way he resited attempts on the Publicity Secretary and the Organizing Secretary.
“I know some of my colleagues will not be happy with this submission, but this is how I am built. I will not be a party to any injustice irrespective of who it’s metted on. The same way I didn’t support the ousting of the National Organizing Secretary and the Publicity Secretary, I will not accept that of Victor. We are all colleagues we should be more focused on reconciliation not baseless witch hunts,” he said.
