By Olusegun Olanrewaju, David Lawani and Cross Udo
Fresh from a continental meeting in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday, Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, came home to meet a billowing national secretariat of his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Two principal officers of the party, the national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, and national secretary, Iyiola Omisore, resigned their positions in controversial circumstances, and their immediate subordinates took over.
The cause of the resignations was still hazy last night, but there were suggestions in some columns that there could have been a proverbial case of the secret ‘presidential’ dog wagging the tail before the duo threw in the towel.
The president’s return coincided with the day it was announced that the National Chairman of the government party, Adamu, and the party’s secretary, Omisore resigned from their positions.
Adamu, according to party sources, was forced to resign ahead of the APC NEC meeting or face an embarrassing forceful removal.
*Tinubu arrives
President Tinubu arrived at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4:20pm, returning to Abuja from Nairobi, Kenya, where he participated in the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU).
He was received at the airport by top government functionaries led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
Tinubu’s welcome party also included his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
President Tinubu was at the Nairobi meeting in his capacity as the Chairman of the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
*Kyari, Fuanter assume offices as acting chair
The APC national secretariat boiled yesterday following the controversial forceful resignation of its national chairman over a series of acts that have allegedly become a dent in the party.
Adamu was absent at the meeting of the APC NWC held at the party’s national secretariat.
In his absence, the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the ruling party, Senator Abubakar Kyari, presided at the meeting.
Present at the meeting are the Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu; National Vice-Chairman, North-East, and North West, Salihu Lukman.
Others are the National Vice-Chairman, South-West, Isaacs Kekemeke; Muazu Bawa and Ejoroma Arodiogu, the national vice-chairman, North-Central and South-East, respectively.
Addressing journalists, Kyari confirmed that both Omisore and Adamu, are no longer part of the APC leadership.
He said, “We are here to address the happenings and recent developments regarding the party. The NWC wishes to inform you about the resignation of the National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu and that of the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore”.
Kyari said that according to the Constitution of the APC, he is now the acting national chairman of the party.
“My humble self as the Deputy National Chairman (North) to assume the office of the Acting National Chairman. Consequently, too, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, will now assume the office of Acting National Secretary of All Progressives Congress.”
Kyari also disclosed that the proposed National Caucus and National Executive Committee meetings slated for July 18 and 19 have been shelved.
“With the recent development, we implore everybody here that the proposed National Caucus and National Executive Committee meetings slated for July 18 and 19, 2023 are hereby postponed. This postponement is not indefinite. A new date will be communicated in the nearest future,” he said.
When quizzed on what led to their resignation, the acting chairman declined to give further information, saying the development will be disclosed at a future date.
He also dismissed speculation that the party may send operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after both Adamu and Omisore.
“There are no allegations against them. Both of them resigned voluntarily and that is what is available at this moment. The details of their resignation will be made known to you in the nearest future,” he said.
On how the new APC leadership hopes to address the plethora of issues raised by the National Vice Chairman for North-West, Mallam Salihu Lukman, Kyari promised that the matter will be given a look-in.
He noted, “Everybody has its style of administration and I think this present set of NWC will be relying on what the constitution says.”
*Why Adamu, Omisore were asked to resign
The plethora of strange ‘sins’ of the Nasarawa State senator began shortly after he was elected as the chairman of the party in 2022. Adamu, it is argued, sees himself as the Lord of the Manor, as far as the affairs of the party are concerned.
He is accused of “growing wings, with a larger-than-life status. He wants to be seen as alpha and omega who does things at his whims and caprices.”
Adamu started his dance in the mud on the eve of the presidential primary election in 2022.
Despite being absent at the meeting of the NWC, he declared that the party’s candidate for the poll was former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan until the president was said to have confronted him at his official residence at the Aso Villa before the election, which led to the subsequent emergence of President Bola Tinubu winning the primary.
Adamu, on different occasions, was also accused of acting against the interest of the party. According to reports, he was solely in charge of the finances of the party.
National Vice-Chairman of the party, Salisu Lukman, had before now narrated the many alleged acts of malfeasance and alleged financial recklessness in the Adamu-led party.
Adamu allegedly collected billions of naira for the purchase of expression and nomination forms from aspirants without any substantial transparency. “He didn’t account to anybody because, before the former President Muhammadu Buhari left, he had submitted the acts of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to the party’s NWC, which Adamu took advantage of, and he has been running the party like a one-man business enterprise,” a source said.
As soon as he resumed office, it was further learnt that, for months, staff of the party in the secretariat were owed salaries and he was never bothered about it.
“Despite the complaints from the staff, he paid deaf ears to all their complaints and frustration almost nearly became the order of the day. No one could summon the courage to confront him because he is alleged to be deadly in many ways.”
Recently, Adamu, it was gathered, had to openly confront the presidency after the leadership of the National Assembly appointed their principal officers against the party’s wish.
Adamu had to resist the nomination saying they didn’t have the footprints of the leadership of the party before going ahead.
Even the Nigerian Governors Forum had to wittingly and cleverly deny the open confrontation that Adamu’s volte-face represents after the presidency had earlier congratulated the appointed principal officers who are also members of the party.
Until his exit now, he has never shown remorse or regret for any action, party sources darted yesterday. “He has always been referred to as “Maye”, which means “Witch”, a description that no one can readily offer its lateral or hidden meaning. He is hailed and chorused as a dangerous man because no one understands how he operates.”
Also, there have been instances where after the chairman spoke and rebuttals will start flying from every direction because of his penchant for the slip of tongue.
“He has done this a couple of times, and this has further slowed down the fortunes of the party.
“Listening to him is a pain in the ear because he is old and weak, thereby preventing him from taking up the task of communicating activities that are happening at the party.”
*Reaction to resignations
The erstwhile national scribe’s lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, had earlier put up spirited defences on behalf of his client, claiming that his client had not resigned from his office.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday, the lawyer said it was unlikely for both the party’s national chairman, Adamu, and Omisore to vacate their offices at the same time.
He, therefore, described the ‘rumoured resignation’ of Omisore as baseless.
According to him, the former Osun senator would attend the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) scheduled for yesterday.
He, however, added that if Omisore would resign, that would be a personal decision, insisting that he had not been forced to resign as being insinuated in some quarters.
“Why must he resign, he is the National Secretary of the winning party that has just ushered in the new government of President Bola Tinubu.
“He is proud of what the president is doing and the party enjoys the confidence of the president and vice versa
“What he is doing now is to stabilise the political space and ensure that those who worked for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people are happy with the government,” Ajulo said.
Omisore stormed out of the party’s national secretariat while the meeting was still ongoing.
Accosted by a reporter, he was quoted as saying that he was on his way to Senator Adamu’s house.
“He is supposed to be here; I don’t know why he isn’t here.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there were also rumours on July 16 over the alleged resignation of Adamu.
But the lawyer’s submissions did not find favour in other party watchers as a national officer had earlier demanded Omisore’s resignation as a way to stave off the crisis.
