Embattled national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole may have regained lost grounds in his battle with the governors desperate to remove him from office.
An umbrella body of the 36 states chairmen of the party, the Forum of APC state chairmen rose in his defence on Monday.
The state chairmen are members of the National Executive Committee of the party.
The Forum in a statement signed by Honourable Ali Bukar Dolari and Dr Ben Nwoye, chairman and secretary, respectively of the Forum passed a vote of confidence in Comrade Oshiomhole who has since been asked to vacate his office by a judgement of Justice Danlami Senchi of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The state chairmen said the removal of the party national chairman would only serve the interest of certain individuals who might have been offended by his leadership style.
The statement read in part:” Removal of our indefatigable National Chairman will not improve the conditions of our supporters or the generality of Nigerian people. It will only satisfy the vindictive tendencies of a privileged few who may have been offended by our National Chairman. This is not in the best interest of the party in particular or the country in general. We, therefore, plead to all involved to allow peace to reign.
”Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole has positioned and fortified the party to the admiration of all to stand for and win elections in majority of the States in Nigeria as witnessed in the 2019 elections.
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”It is on record that the party under the leadership of Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole won more elections in the country as exemplified in the 2019 general elections.
”Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole has endeared majority and well-meaning Nigerians to the All Progressives Congress, APC in all parts of the country because of his leadership prowess.
”In the 2019 elections unlike 2015 elections, President Muhammadu Buhari had 25 per cent in the majority of states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory.
”We therefore pass a vote of confidence on the National leadership of the party under Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole for his quality, purposeful and directional leadership.
”We vow to stand with our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole and to defend the constitution of our great party at all times and in all places.”
The forum asked aggrieved party chieftains to use the opportunity provided by the Chief Bisi Akande National Reconciliation Committee to ventilate their reservations about his leadership style.
”We observed that the issues presented before the two Federal High Courts that is tearing our party apart are political. Thus, we respectfully request all parties to seek political solutions. We urge all parties to return back to the dispute resolution and reconciliation Committee set up by our Leader, President Muhammadu Buhari and led by our founding National Chairman, H.E. Bisi Akande.
”The State Chairmen being members of NEC and critical stakeholders of our party, dissociate ourselves from the ongoing brigandage intended to disorganize the peace we have been enjoying in the party. These acts if successful would only weaken the political strength of our great party.
”We the State Chairmen frown at the level of impunity being experienced in our great party in which, unauthorized individuals will issue press statements using the name of our party to deceive the leaders of the party and the unsuspecting public, thereby causing disaffection among the party leadership. All individuals involved in this practice should be mindful that their conduct is prohibited under the relevant sections of our party Constitution.”
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