Edo APC ratifies Oshiomhole’s suspension

THERE seems to be let up in the war of attrition between the leadership of the Edo State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the party national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the executive council of the party yesterday ratified the suspension of Oshiomhole from the party in the state.

A leader of the APC in Ovia South-West local government area, Mr Samuel Ekeneza who moved the motion for the ratification of the suspension of Oshiomhole, said that the party remained supreme as no individual is bigger than the political party.

The motion was supported by a leader of the APC in Esan Central local government area, Mr Osediamen at an enlarged meeting of the council and other party chieftains with Governor Godwin Obaseki in attendance.

At the meeting, the leaders said the suspension of the national chairman became necessary as he (Oshiomhole) has been deploying divisive tactics to cause disharmony in the party in collaboration with a pressure group within the party, Edo Peoples Movement (EPM).

At the meeting which witnessed the presence of APC leaders from the 18 local government areas of the state, the state chairman of the APC, Mr Anslem Ojezua traced the genesis of the crisis to the primaries in 2018 for the general elections held in 2019, adding that the party has not known peace ever since.

Ojezua said: “The issues were later aggravated in April and May 2019 which culminated in the formation of the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), an infamous group we proscribed in our last meeting.”

Ojezua said the news of his removal was shocking as the state working committee which purportedly removed him didn’t have powers to do so, adding, “Our constitution has a provision to remove officers at the state level. It is only the State Executive Committee that has the powers to remove any officer.”

He continued: “Yesterday, 15 chairmen of the APC chapters in the local councils and 23 out of the 35 members of the State Executive Committee passed a vote of no confidence on the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, while a vote of confidence was passed on my person.

“The APC Local council chairmen have found out that Adams Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in Edo APC and following the findings, lost confidence in the leadership of the national chairman by passing a vote of no confidence on him. Considering the stand of these chairmen and also based on the report from organs of the party, we affirmed the suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from APC in Edo State,” he added.

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Ojezua said, “Three local government chairmen of the APC were not in attendance at the meeting held on Tuesday. They are the chairmen of the party in Owan West, Etsako West and Etsako Central LGAs. I have letters informing me of their suspension and in that regard, the Vice Chairmen are to act until those positions are filled.”

Governor Godwin Obaseki said he is not happy with the recent political developments in the state, especially the disruptions from a once-trusted leader who has thrown caution to the wind to cause disaffection among APC members in the state.

The governor said when he first met Oshiomhole 12 years ago, they shared a common interest in salvaging Edo State but all that has changed in recent times, noting, “I am not an ungrateful person. No one made me governor. I became governor by God’s grace, with the support of many other people. If God had said I would not be governor, there is no way would I have been a governor. It is wrong for someone to say he made me governor.

“No one gave me money. The funds Oshiomhole initially raised for his governorship ambition was raised by me in Lagos. If I can raise money for him for his election, why would I not be able to raise money for my own election.”

The governor said the national chairman was not truthful about comments on his administration, adding, “If you came into power on some basic principles, do not expect to change those principles because you have certain ambition. If you came to power believing no man is God, then the day you start to play God, you will get the consequences.”