The North East National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Salihu Mustapha, has dismissed the claims of some his colleagues at the National Working Committee on the resignation of the Deputy National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom.
According to him, the Deputy National Secretary did not resign his position but was given a waiver to contest the Deputy Governorship election in Rivers State.
Giadom, who is laying claim to the position of the Acting National Chairman of APC with an FCT High Court Order, acted as National Chairman in March when the Court upheld the suspension of the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, from his Ward, LGA and state chapters of the party.
Mustapha said the NWC should uphold its earlier decisions not to make caricature of its image.
According to him, Giadom was on September 14, 2018 granted a waiver by the NWC in a letter signed by 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.”
Similarly, Mustapha said 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.”
Further countering the claims that he resigned, Mustapha said Giadom had carried out party functions and had been paid all the while.
He recalled that Giadom was not the first to be granted waiver to contest election.
According to him, the former National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu, and former National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, were granted waivers to contest governorship elections in their states.
He said: “Just like Giadom, Chief Moghalu came back as National Auditor when he lost the primary election of the party in Anambra State.”
On the replacement of Giadom with Worgu Boms, Mustapha dismissed it, saying it has no place in law and he will resist it same way he resisted attempts on the National Publicity Secretary and National Organizing Secretary.
He said: “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 meted on.
“The same way I didn’t support the ousting of the National Organising Secretary and the Publicity Secretary.
“I will not accept that of Mr. Victor.
“We are all colleagues.
“We should be more focused on reconciliation not baseless witch hunts.”
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