Tony Osauzo, Benin
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, said yesterday that Monday Court of Appeal ruling that quashed the lower court order suspending Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the party, would linger in their memories as a day of victory for justice, due process, for light transcending darkness, rule of law, for upholding constitutionalism and respect for party supremacy and internal mechanism of conflict resolution.
Addressing journalists in Benin City on behalf of other governorship aspirants and party members, deputy governor to Oshiomhole for eight years, Dr. Pius Odubu, said “it is also a moment of sober reflection for us in Edo State APC as we remember the unwholesome role played by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in the failed attempt to remove our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole his benefactor.”
In his speech titled “Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s triumph at the Court of Appeal: A victory for all APC members and Democracy”, Odubu chronicled the crisis, saying that “it started with the illegal midnight inauguration of the 17th of June, 2019, where majority of our Honourable Members-Elect were excluded from inauguration and till date they have not been inaugurated”.
He accused governor Obaseki of being behind the harassment and attack of party members who are not disposed to his 2nd term election bid, adding that even the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was not spared as he has been attacked severally both in Benin City and in his hometown, Iyamho.
“The height of it was the demolition of the 5 Star hotel belonging to Comrade Tony Kabaka Adun even when the matter was subjudice. We are also not unaware of the cladestine move to revoke the C of O of the Properties belonging to some of our Party Leaders.
“It has been one case of evil, witch-hunting and executive rascality to another. To Governor Godwin Obaseki, his second term is not negotiable; it is more important the lives of People and anyone who dares stand on his part must be chrused. The Governor who ought to be a political leader that unites all members of APC together became an instrument of division, intimidation, humiliation and political vendetta”, Odubu said.
He said the last straw was Obaseki failed attempt to remove Oshiomhole from office, alleging that in his quest, he summoned a meeting of some APC members in South-South where they issued a communique that Oshiomhole should be replaced with Victor Giadom from Rivers State.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari whose decision as the leader of the party helped to cancel the illegal NEC meeting, which he said would have caused implosion in the party.
He also commended the National Leader of the Party, Sen. Ahmed Tinubu, Progressive governors of APC, National Assembly members, NWC members among others, who stood in defence of the party supremacy and Oshiomhole in appreciation of his scrifices for the party.
But in his reaction, governor Obaseki said less than 24 hours after the peace initiative by the President and the governors in Abuja, Odubu has launched a barrage of attacks on his person, a situation that jeopardizes moves to restore peace to a party that has become severely troubled.
Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, who spoke for the governor, challenged the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to publicly denounce the attacks by Odubu, on Governor Godwin Obaseki, in the spirit of the peace efforts by the President and the party, as Odubu has been a known frontline speaker for Comrade Oshiomhole during the crisis that preceded the current peace initiative.
”It is unfortunate that less than 24 hours after a reconciliation is being forged around the consultations between President Muhammadu Buhari and all Governors elected under the APC, including Governor Godwin Obaseki, Dr. Pius Odubu, a frontrunner in the factionalisation of the APC in Edo State under the supervision of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has kicked off personal attacks on Governor Obaseki.
”It is clear that these characters neither mean well for the party nor do they mean well for Comrade Oshiomhole. They would rather continue to stir crisis and disrupt the peace in the state and the party. We, therefore, call on the Presidency to take note of this trend aimed at rubbishing all the efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC governors to bring peace to the party at all levels.
“We challenge Comrade Oshiomhole to come out to publicly denounce the irresponsible comments if he does not subscribe to them, failure of which proves that he is actively in support of the renewed attacks on the governor”, Osagie said in a statement.
Osagie said the attacks were consistent with the character of these individuals and there is no denying that they would continue, which is why it is pertinent to draw the attention of the Presidency to the antics aimed at sabotaging President Buhari’s peace efforts as well as that of the governors and other leaders of the party.