The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took another twist on Tuesday when members of the National Working Committee (NWC) warned that the autocratic style of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu will no longer be tolerated.
The NWC members lamented that the National Chairman takes decisions unilaterally when it suits him.
They equally decried that he invokes the name of President Muhammadu Buhari to blackmail NWC members into accepting his decisions.
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, said no member was elected at the March 26, 2022, National Convention to warm seats or offices in the National Secretariat.
They lamented 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 a statement following the 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 the 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 elected on 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 urgently and call Adamu to order.
The 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.