… Insist current zonal arrangement remains
Leaders of the South South geopolitical zone of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) may have settled for Victor Giadom as a replacement for out-of-favour Adams Oshiomhole, even in acting capacity.
The APC leaders also insisted that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for next Tuesday, must hold.
They have also urged all members of the party from the six states in the geographical zone to attend the meeting, saying the NEC is the only democratic instrument of the party authorised to do so by its constitution.
This was the outcome of their meeting, on Thursday night, in Abuja, at Edo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, despite the call by the National vice chairman, South South, Hillard Eta for the boycott of meeting of the ruling party.
A communiqué released at the end of the meeting was read by the Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
It said seven ministers, serving National Assembly members, former ministers, former governors, former NASS members, and all zonal and state executive members of the party attended the zonal caucus meeting.
Those in attendance included the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Power, Goddy Agba, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, former Edo state governor Oserheimen Osunbor, immediate past Director General of Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside and Senator Ndoma Egba.
Others present were former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, factional chairman of Edo state chapter of the party, Anselm Ojezua, Senator Domingo Obende, Senator James Akpan Udoedege, amongst Sam Sam Jaja, former TUC President, Peter Esele amongst others.
The communiqué read in part, “At the meeting, the leaders of the zone deliberated extensively on situation in the party and at the end of the meeting, they adopted the following resolutions:
“That as a party, we commend our brother, the Acting Chairman of the APC, Victor Giadom, for rising to the occasion by providing leadership for the party in this trying times.
“That we fully support the convening of the National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday March 17th, as the NEC is the only recognised organ under the constitution of our party to resolve the APC crisis.
“That we insist that the party should respect the current zoning arrangement by retaining the chairmanship of our great party in the South-South zone even in an acting capacity.
“We resolved that the most senior officer of the party from the zone, being the National Acting Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, should be confirmed acting National Chairman for the time-being.
“We urged all our brothers and sisters from the zone to fully embrace the NEC meeting and not boycott the emergency NEC meeting, which has been slated for Tuesday March 17th.
“Because boycott in a democratic environment is always counterproductive.”
