The South-South Zonal Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Blessing Agbomhere, has accused former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his allies of undermining Bola Tinubu’s chances during the February 25 presidential election.
Agbomhere assumed the role of Acting Zonal Chairman of the party after Victor Giadom was removed due to a vote of no confidence.
Bellnewsonline.com had earlier reported that Giadom’s removal was initiated by five zonal officers, who cited his mismanagement of the party as their reason.
However, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has dismissed the actions, claiming that the officers lacked the authority to do so.
Agbomhere maintains that Amaechi and Giadom should have been disciplined for their actions, which include publicly encouraging people to vote against the APC.
He also criticized Amaechi’s comments during the election regarding the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission chairman.
Agbomhere noted that Amaechi had said the INCE chairman was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari following a recommendation by a member of Tinubu’s camp.
In justifying the decision to remove Giadom, Agbomhere pointed to the lack of meetings and overall mismanagement of the party.
He accused Giadom of neglecting his duties and not supporting Tinubu’s campaign.
As the National Working Committee meets on Wednesday, Agbomhere plans to send a letter to notify them of the situation in the zone.
Regarding Tinubu’s potential for leadership, Agbomhere expressed confidence in his ability to implement ideas that will set Nigeria on a path to greatness.
He said, “The ex-zonal chairman (Giadom) never mobilised for our party, the APC in the general election. He never supported our candidate. Before the election, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima took out time to come to them knowing that Rotimi Amaechi contested the primary election and failed and that Giadom is his lieutenant, they were begged to join hands with party members to ensure that they were voted for.
“Amaechi and Giadom did not work for the party. They came out publicly, called meetings in the South-South, and urged people to vote against the APC and vote for Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We consider this a great disservice to our party because the APC has done everything for Amaechi.”
Speaking on Amaechi’s statement about the INEC’s chairman appointment, he said, “Do you know what such statements can cause the party? By that statement, he was ready to incite Nigerians against the candidacy and election of Bola Tinubu.”
In his call for Giadom’s removal, Agbomhere said, “The zonal officers of the South-South had their extraordinary meeting, and, in that meeting, we are eight officers in the zone, all of us were present. The constitution requires that we call for a zonal meeting at least once every quarter and almost six months now, he (Giadom) has not called for a meeting. He has been running the party alone and doing whatever he likes with the party. Every attempt to make the secretary call for a meeting also failed. He and the secretary are running the party together, without carrying the other six executive members of the zone along.
“Even after the elections were over, there have been a series of petitions and suspensions from across the states in the region. The zone is supposed to set up a committee that would receive these petitions, do fact-finding to find out what is wrong and find a way to resolve these issues in the zone but Giadom allowed the zone to be enveloped in internal disputations because he does not care.”
Speaking on Tinubu’s plan for Nigeria he said, “Despite the fact that I cannot guarantee that Asiwaju can run 100km in an hour, I can confirm that Asiwaju and Shettima have 100 ideas to rescue Nigeria and set her on the path of greatness within the first 100 days in office. This is why we keep supporting him. We are ready to fight anybody bent on frustrating democracy in Nigeria. This is the first time in Nigeria that we will be having a pure democrat coming to occupy the office of the president in Nigeria. Asiwaju is not in the league of Rotimi Amaechi and Victor Giadom; he is in the league of Obafemi Awolowo and Lee Kuan Yew.”