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Ajimobi is currently hospitalised and cannot helm the affairs of the party.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed its National Vice Chairman (South South), Prince Hilliard Etta, as acting national chairman in place of Abiola Ajimobi.
The party had earlier announced Ajimobi as its acting national chairman on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, after the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman.
As the APC’s deputy national chairman (South), Ajimobi’s appointment was in line with the party’s constitution that mandates the deputy chairman from the zone of the national chairman to serve in his absence.
However, Ajimobi is currently hospitalised in Lagos after he was infected by the coronavirus disease.
Due to his current incapacity, the party announced on Wednesday, June 17, that Eta will act on his behalf, a decision that was made during a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The party said, “Due to Sen. Ajimobi’s unavoidable absence, NWC unanimously appointed the Party’s National Vice Chairman (South South), Prince Hilliard Etta to act on Sen. Ajimobi’s behalf, an action backed by the Party’s constitution which empowers the NWC to appoint one of its members in acting capacity and stipulates that the acting National chairman must be from the zone of the National Chairman.”
There had been confusion earlier on Wednesday after the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Victor Gaidom, staked a claim for the position of acting national chairman based on a March court order.
The party’s statement, signed by National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, failed to address Gaidom’s claim.
Below are the names of people in attendance at the meeting:
Abass Latifat
