By Hamilton Nwosa (Head, The New Diplomat’s Polling and Data Tracking Desk)
In a political move to allegedly counter forces believed to be working to undermine the current national leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2023 presidential contest, the ruling APC hierarchy yesterday named former Oyo state governor, Chief Abiola Ajimobi as acting chairman in the interim.
Chief Ajimobi, is the Deputy National Chairman of the APC (South), and a strong loyalist of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos state governor who is also a national leader of the APC.
Senator Ajimobi’s appointment in an acting capacity as national chairman follows the Court of Appeal ruling in Abuja Tuesday which upheld the suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman of the APC.
Ajimobi is said to be a firm supporter of a stable APC national leadership which he believes Comrade Oshiomhole, the party’s national chairman represents. A statement issued last night said the former governor of Oyo State will serve as Chairman in an interim capacity in the absence of the national chairman from his zone.
The statement signed by Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC national publicity secretary read in part: “Guided by advice from the Party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the Party’s constitution, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Sen. Abiola Ajimobi will serve as the Party’s Acting National Chairman,” the party spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said in a statement Tuesday night.
“According to Section 14.2. (iii),of the APC constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone”
It would be recalled that a three-man panel of the court of appeal had earlier on Tuesday affirmed the suspension of Comrade Oshiomhole as the party’s national chairman.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Lamido, the panel which ruled out comrade Oshiomhole’s appeal on grounds of lacking in merit had consequently affirmed the decision of an Abuja high court which earlier in March suspended the APC national chairman.
However, beyond these visible political and legal scheming, many analysts and political observers are of the view that the internal wrangling in the APC has to do with the battle for the control of the soul of party ahead 2023 by contending forces that are quite powerful.
According to this school of thought, the Edo situation is just a test case of the looming war ahead. Recall that both Comrade Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state have been locked in a protracted political war that have defied all known political resolution.
