APC Crisis: Giadom Disregards Court Order, Writes INEC Proclaiming Self As Party’s Chairman

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Victor Giadom, on Friday wrote to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting he remains acting national chairman of the ruling party.

The party became enmeshed in a leadership crisis following the appeal court affirmation of Adams Oshiomhole’s suspension as national chairman of the party.

The party had announced Abiola Ajimobi, former Oyo governor, as acting chairman but Giadom declared himself as national chairman and also overturned the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, from the gubernatorial primary election and ordered a fresh exercise.

But the national working committee of the APC overrode him and appointed Hillard Eta, vice chairman of the party (south-south), to stand in for Ajimobi who was “unavoidably absent”.

However, on Thursday, a high court of the federal capital territory (FCT) reaffirmed Giadom as the acting national chairman of the APC for a period of two weeks but, in a bizarre twist of event, another high court in Rivers state granted an injunction restraining him from parading himself as such.

In a letter dated June 18, Giadom told INEC to serve all processes and documents concerning APC elections, as well as other correspondences on him.

“I want to respectfully through this medium bring it to your attention that I have been appointed as the acting National Chairman of the APC. A copy of the order of the FCT High Court, Abuja affirming my authority as the acting national chairman of the APC is herewith attached,” the letter read.

“Please note that the earlier of the FCT High Court suspending Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from office on March 4, 2020 as affirmed by the Court of Appeal, Abuja on June 16, 2020. Mr. Oshiomhole’s appeals were dismissed on that date. Copies of the orders of the court in the tow cases are herewith attached for your perusal.

“As the acting national chairman of the party, all processes, documents, and communications including those concerning the conduct of elections meant for the APC are to be served on me.”