APC Leadership Crisis Deepens, as NWC Members Accuse Adamu of Taking Unilateral Decision

•Claim party chair using Buhari’s name to force decision on party

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The brewing crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appeared to have taken another dimension as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have accused the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu of  rendering the NWC redundant.

To this end, the NEC members served a notice on the chairman that henceforth, any decision taken by Adamu or any other party functionary, which require the approval of the NWC as enshrined in the APC constitution would be considered as illegitimate and an infringement on the jurisdictional scope of the NWC, unless otherwise confirmed as validly approved decisions of the NWC or any other legitimate organ of the party..

The NWC members said no one was  elected at the March 26, 2022 National Convention to warm seats or offices in the National Secretariat. 

In a statement issued Tuesday titled, “APC and the Need for Vigilance: Urgent Call for Intervention”, and jointly signed by the National Vice Chairman, North-West, Dr. Salihu Lukman and the  National Vice Chairman, South-West, Mr. Isaacs Kekemeke, the NWC members lamented that within two months in the lifespan of  Adamu-led leadership, critical decisions about the affairs of the party were being taken unilaterally by Adamu.

They expressed worry that  every effort to get the Chairman to respect the authority of the NWC as elected was proving very difficult.

They stated that they were compelled to make this statement following serial postponement of the scheduled NWC meetings, twice within 48 hours. 

The party Chieftains noted that they were convinced beyond doubt that this was a deliberate attempt to foist a fait accompli on the NWC on fundamental issues that affect our great party.

They stated: “Within just two months in the lifespan of the new leadership of our great party, APC, led by His Excellency, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the NWC, organ of the party vested with the power of managing the day-to-day affairs, including implementing decisions of the National Executive Committee (NEC), as provided in Article 13.4 of the APC Constitution, has been rendered redundant. 

“The National Chairman takes decisions unilaterally. When it suits him, he invokes the name of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari to blackmail NWC members into accepting his decisions. 

“Every effort to get the Chairman to respect the authority of the NWC as elected by the March 26, 2022 APC National Convention is proving very difficult, if not impossible. Note that NEC’s donation of its powers was to NWC and not to the National Chairman or any individual.”

Against this background, the NWC members called all APC leaders to intervene and  urgently to call  Adamu to order. 

They added:  “The National Chairman must be properly reminded to recognise that the business of managing the day-to-day affairs of the party is the responsibility of the NWC as provided in provisions of the APC Constitution. 

“He is free to consult any party leader(s). Such consultations will not represent decisions of the NWC or any organ of the party unless and until it is adopted by a properly constituted meeting of the NWC or organ in question according to the letters and spirit of the APC constitution.

“As a party, we have suffered enough judicial embarrassments arising from clearly avoidable leadership breach of our party’s constitution and spelt out rules. 

“As members of the NWC who have the mandate of our members, we hereby serve notice to His Excellency, Abdullahi Adamu, and through him to all APC leaders that henceforth, any decision taken by the National Chairman or any other party functionary, which require the approval of the NWC as enshrined in the APC constitution, will be considered as illegitimate and an infringement on the jurisdictional scope of the NWC, unless otherwise confirmed as validly approved decisions of the NWC or any other legitimate organ of the party.”

“No NWC member is elected at the March 26, 2022 National Convention to warm seats or offices in the National Secretariat. 

“We therefore call on all our colleagues in the NWC to rise to these challenging situations by joining hands with us to save our great party and return it to its founding mission of moving Nigeria forward based on honest, fair, just and selfless commitment to party building. God bless our party!.”