Edo State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that former Governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has no legal authority to function in office as National Chairman of the party.
In a statement on Tuesday, signed by Chairman of Edo APC, Anselm Ojezua, the chapter of the party said Comrade Oshiomhole has been suspended as a member of the party by his people in Ward 10 of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State and any action taken as the national chairman of the APC remains ultra vires.
“It cannot be overemphasized that having been validly suspended as a member of the party by his ward, all actions and steps taken by him as National Chairman are in jeopardy with the likelihood of grave consequences for the party,” he said.Ojezua, who blamed the former governor for the crisis in the state said, “Rather than heed the advice of his people, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has persisted in his arrogance and impunity.
He has continued to make pronouncements and take actions which have further aggravated divisions within the Party thereby moving it towards the precipice.”The problems which now threatens the very existence of the APC in Edo State started with the conduct of Primaries to elective offices in 2018.
In accordance with the resolution passed by the National Executive Committee of the Party, the leadership of the party in the State adopted the indirect mode of primaries but Comrade Oshiomhole decreed that it must be done by direct primaries.
However, to avoid rancor and acrimony which have the capacity to heat up the polity and being sensitive to the fact that Comrade Oshiomhole is from Edo State, we complied”.
The statement further added, “Having failed to discredit the Governor at the polls the same individuals resorted to a campaign of calumny and infamy against him, his Deputy and top government functionaries, deploying very raw and uncouth language in a sustained media blitz while showering praises on the National Chairman on each of those occasions leaving no one in doubt as to whose interest they were serving. They also held very well publicized meetings, using the APC logo in their publications.”
The Edo APC further called on President Muhammadu Buhari, National Executive Committee of the APC and other leaders of the party to rise up to the occasion to avert a looming danger in the state.
“Our understanding of the decision of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress on the issue of setting up the Reconciliation Committee is that it ought to be set up directly by President Muhammadu Buhari in his capacity as leader of the Party, as Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Working Committee are currently embroiled in most of the disputes across the country and their actions and inactions resulted in most of such disputes.”
Accordingly, we wish to, once again, call on the leadership of the Party, particularly, Mr. President, the Progressive Governors Forum, the State Chairmen, other members of the National Executive Committee of the Party and other well-meaning leaders of the Party to rise up to the occasion, do the needful and deal with the cankerworm currently eating deep into the fabrics of our Party.
“We believe this is supported by our recent experiences as a party, that a political solution is always better than a judicial solution in circumstances such as this”.
The statement further added, “While we pledge to work with a properly, fairly and duly constituted Reconciliation Committee to resolve this long-drawn, needless and avoidable crisis in the Edo State chapter of our party, our position, which we have mentioned and variously reiterated in the past, is that it has become clearly impossible for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to continue to lead the APC as National Chairman.
“It is imperative that he steps aside to save the soul of the party.”
