Bayelsa: Ex-TUC boss Esele, calls for Oshiomhole’s sack as APC chair

Former President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Peter Esele, has called for the removal of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) over his poor handling of the party’s affairs.

In a post on his Facebook account on Saturday titled: “APC: Time for Adams Oshiomole to go,” the former Labour leader blamed the loss of Bayelsa state by the APC on Oshiomhole’s complicity in fielding an ineligible candidate for the state governorship election.

He said that Oshiomhole’s utterances have also become a source of embarrassment for the APC, warning that the ruling party must do all that was necessary to defend the institutions of the state.

While recalling the loss of Zamfara state to the opposition, the Edo state-born Labour activist warned that the APC may also find itself without a governorship candidate in the forthcoming Edo state election because of Oshiomhole’s interference.

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Esele maintained that APC had outgrown Oshiomhole’s theatrics, saying that it was time for the party to thank and get rid of him.

The post read: “This is a difficult one to write, but there comes a time when you must make a clear distinction between individual and institutional interests. There comes a time when you must choose sides. This is one of such pivotal moments.

“The National Chairman of APC cannot claim ignorance that the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate of the Party in Bayelsa was ineligible to contest the election which led to the Supreme court verdict.

“His utterances about national issues have become a huge source of embarrassment to the party and the country at large. The APC as the governing party must do all it can to defend the institutions of the state no matter the pain or interests. Failure to do so is a recipe for anarchy.

“The incompetence and corrupt practices at the national secretariat has resulted in the weakening of various important internal processes for the selection of party candidates.

“The losses from this flagrant abuse of the party’s internal workings, have led to various court judgments against the party. States like Bayelsa and Zamfara now have to contend with Governors the people never voted for.

“The APC has also been factionalised in Edo state with the tacit support of the National Chairman. Neither faction will be able to fulfill the required provision by our party’s processes and protocol.

“APC has outgrown the kinds of theatrics displayed by Comrade Oshiomole who ironically, was also a product of court processes. The time is now, to thank him for his services to the party and move on.

“Or, are we going to wail again, when the courts intervene to sack our candidate in Edo state?”