Oshiomhole must go, Edo APC insists

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki has urged National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to resign or be precluded from functioning in office while his suspension subsists.

If said any action taken by Oshiomhole in the capacity of National Chairman including documents signed and meetings presided over by him might be futile as his membership was already compromised.

The Edo APC also denied issuing the party’s membership cards to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his followers.

Addressing a world press conference in Bénin City at the party secretariat along Airport road, State Chairman of the party, Barr. Anselm Ojezua traced the genesis of the party’s crisis to the conduct of the party primaries ahead of the last general elections.

Barr. Ojezua stated that events have shown that there had been a grand plan to falsely create the impression of a crisis of leadership within the party in the state.

Ojezua said the plans were hatched and executed under the directive of Comrade Oshiomhole and executed through Oshiomhole’s acclaimed ‘infantry division’.

He stated that had the Edo APC not complied with the directive to conduct fresh primaries, Edo would have been exposed to what befell Zamfara and other states.

Ojezua said the Edo APC have concluded that Comrade Oshiomhole lacked the capacity, temperament and moral authority to lead the APC as National Chairman.

His words, “In any case, having been placed on suspension as member of the party, he has lost the legitimacy to act in any capacity in the party.

“We draw particular attention to Article 21 of the APC constitution which relates to discipline of party members and the powers of respective organs of the party to take disciplinary actions against members.

In the circumstances, any action taken in the capacity of National Chairman including documents he signs and meetings he presides over May well be futile as his membership is already compromised.

“We are guided by the admonition of President Buhari who has consistently maintained that we must live up to the tenets and provisions of the constitution of the APC.

“Mr. President has also maintained, quite rightly that anybody who is not relevant in his Ward, Local Government Area and State cannot hold office at the National Level.”

Speaking on the party’s ability to win elections, Ojezua said, “What Oshiomhole has with him is a third rate army. That was the deficiency he meant to fill when he invited mercenary group to invade our party.

I am happy our members resisted them. We are ready for the elections. Obaseki has done so much to justify the confidence the citizens reposed in him.

It is the goodwill and prayers of the people. Obaseki has goodwill. He is putting in place that he promised. We will have success at the elections.

“The case of Ize-Iyamu is an interesting one. Some members of the APC have expressed some concern over the level of desperation that was exhibited by the people bringing them in and the people coming in. I have never seen such display.

It is unnatural for a visitor to determine the terms and conditions of visit into a house not his own. I have been in touch with all the local government none of them is aware. It is not normal and makes me feel suspicious of the true motive of those people concern.

“We are establishing a mobilisation committee to reach out to people of substance in other party who wish join our party in the right and proper way.

Edo APC is intact, in the state executive, you will find out that only seven persons are absent out of 35 members. All the LGA chairmen are here. The 192 Ward chairmen are with us.”