APC national chairmanship: Like Oshiomhole, like Oyegun, Adamu goes down in ignominy
By Emeka Alex Duru
With the forced resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and his replacement with the Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, the high wire intrigue that had swept off previous occupants of the position has continued in the party.
Adamu’s ouster was procured by Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma at the instance of President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, July 16. The removal was the high point of the crisis of confidence between Tinubu and the erstwhile Chairman. It was a carry-over of the rift between the two since the 2022, presidential primary of the party during which Adamu supported former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, for the party’s ticket in the February 25, 2023 presidential election. Tinubu never forgave Adamu for that action.
The impasse continued after the election, with Adamu complaining of being sidelined in many strategic decisions affecting the party. It therefore, did not come to many as a surprise that the President and his henchmen eventually moved against the former Nasarawa governor.
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A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) who spoke to TheNiche hinted on plans by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to summon an emergency meeting to ratify Kyari’s elevation. That would confirm the fears by perceptive observers when Adamu was being thrown up, last year, that he might not last on the seat. Then, even when the ruling clique in the party enthused on the selection of Adamu and his executives to oversee the affairs of the party, there was palpable concern by some obviously alienated members.
At a convention held at the Eagle Square in Abuja, on March 26, 2022, Adamu, emerged the National Chairman, while Senator Iyiola Omisore was confirmed as National Secretary. Both were stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before crossing over to the APC.
The selection was mostly done by consensus as many aspirants stepped down in deference to the then President Muhammadu Buhari. Other officers of the party were thrown up in the same manner.
The exercise took place nearly two years after the Adams Oshiomole-led National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved in breezy circumstances. Adamu, who was at the time, a senator representing Nasarawa West was President Buhari’s choice for the job. Clinching the post was thus, an easy run for him, following the withdrawal of his co-contestants.
With that, Adamu replaced Oshiomhole who was sacked in June 2020. Between the time Oshiomhole was kicked out and when Adamu took over, former Yobe state governor, Mai Mala Buni was appointed to administer the affairs of the party.
But even as it seemed Buhari had had his way, it was obvious that the landmines in the APC were yet to be completely neutralized. If anything, rather, the Tinubu tendency which was displaced by the removal of Oshiomhole, bid its time to fight back. Besides, a trend had been established in pushing out the party’s national chairman after a successful electoral outing.
Five years ago, precisely on the June 23, 2018 Oshiomhole was selected as the national chairman of the party in same way Adamu emerged. As in the March 26, 2022 exercise that threw up Adamu, Oshiomhole’s emergence was already known to Nigerians three weeks to the convention.
In that outing that was characterised by undisguised coercion, the pioneer National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, was forced to withdraw from going for a re-election, to clear the coast for Oshiomhole, who just exited as Edo State governor. As in the case of Adamu, Oshiomhole was flaunted as President Buhari’s favourite for the position.
Oyegun, who pulled out of the race, said he was doing so in the interest of the party. He stressed that though he would have loved taking another shot at the office, he was opting out so as not to be part of the problems confronting the party.
´´I do not intend to be part of the problem for APC to solve. It is for this reason that I hereby declare that I will not be seeking re-election as the national chairman”, Oyegun remarked. Oshiomhole and his backers had their way. But barely two years after, opposing forces in the party, rose against the former Edo governor. Surprisingly, Buhari did not come to his rescue. He rather flung him under the bus.
Adamu is facing similar fate. With a vindictive presidency and its foot soldiers prowling to appropriate all layers of decision making processes in APC, what happens next and who occupies the position of the national chairman of the party, depends on Tinubu’s preferences. According to the party’s constitution, the position of the chairman will remain in the North and the most senior NWC member from the North naturally steps in with the exit of Adamu.
Depending on Tinubu’s disposition towards, Kyari, the Deputy National Chairman, could be the national chairman, at least, for now. But the trend of hushing the national chairman of the party out of office before expiration of his term, continues.