Just In: APC In Disarray, As Paralell Acting Nat'l Secretaries Emerges

Confusion has engulfed the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, as vested interests have bared their fangs and baying for blood with the ouster of the embattled National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by an FCT High Court.

In his ruling Hon. Justice Senchi Z. Danlami gave an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from parading himself as the National Chairman of the APC, pending the hearing and determination of the substansive suit.

Moments after, the battle shifted to the party's secretariat, where groups started gathering to get the new direction of the party. Police formation were mobilised to ensure calm and order.

Acting National Secretary of the APC, Victor Giadom, moments after, addressed the press, noting that the APC as a law-abiding political party and will respect the decision of the court suspending the National Chairman of the Party, Adams Oshiomhole.

He spoke to reporters at the party’s National Secretariat amidst heavy security presence.

However, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the National Working Committee (NWC), announced the purported selection of Arch. Waziri Bulama as the Party's Acting National Secretary.

Others whose selection were purportedly approved by the NWC include Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Mr. Paul Chukwuma as the National Auditor following nominations from the respective zones.

The decision, Issa-Onilu said, was purportedly reached on January 14, 2020 during the meeting of the NWC at the party’s National Secretariat.

Insiders say the announcement of Senator Ajimobi as Deputy National Chairman (South) was in preparation for a grand scheme to get him to become the Acting National Chairman of the party.

"This is a grand scheme. The power play is high and a lot of people a trying to scheme themselves to remain in power through surrogates. But we are watching them closely," a source said.

Meanwhile, realising that he and his boss have been out-gamed, Comrade Oshiomhole's spokesman, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, made frantic efforts to release a two-line, terse statement, saying that they are exploring avenues to obtain a stay of execution on Oshiomhole's suspension and that while such processes were on-going, Oshiomhole remains the National Chairman.

The orderlies attached to Oshiomhole consequently made moves to lock his office, warning that no one should be allowed to enter.

While this played out, 13 police patrol vans with armed policemen were spotted keeping vigil around the building.

As at press time, the situation was still unravelling as power brokers within the APC fold jostle for vantage positions.