By Osahon Osahon
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the suspension placed on the National Chairman of the ruling party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as member of the APC still subsist until he purge himself of tactics to divide the party in the state.
Edo APC chairman, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, stated this on Monday during a world press briefing at the party’s secretariat in Benin, the state capital, accusing Oshiomhole of deliberately want to drown the party in crisis ahead of the governorship election in the state.
Ojezua said the plan by the APC national chairman, whom claimed remained suspended from the party, so as to create the Zamafara scenario and stop Governor Godwin Obaseki from seeking second term in office.
The APC chair, who claimed Oshiomhole’s plans will fail in Edo, said the national chairman’s suspension is based on President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition that any member who is not relevant in his ward, local government area and state cannot hold office at the national level.
He called on Oshiomhole to resign or be precluded from functioning in office while his suspension subsists.
He traced the genesis of the crisis rocking the party to the conduct of primaries ahead of the last general elections, where Oshiomhole unilaterally and arbitrarily cancelled the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state.
According to him, 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.
He further alleged 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 said the Edo APC have concluded that Comrade Oshiomhole lacked the capacity, temperament and moral authority to lead the APC as National Chairman.
He insisted that 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.
“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,” Ojezua said.
Speaking on the party’s chances in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Ojezua noted that Obaseki has what it takes to win, whereas, Oshiomhole parades a third rate army.
“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. We will have success at the elections,” he said.
