Tony Osauzo, Benin

A patron of Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) and former Publicity Secretary of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Erhahon, has cautioned state leaders of the party against escalating its internal crisis by pitting former National Chairman of the party John Odigie-Oyegun against the incumbent National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole.

In a statement he issued in Benin City titled “Internal Crises: How not to fight family Battle”, Erhahon said leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) who have attempted to blame the crisis in the National Executive Committee (NEC) on the former National Chairman should cautious of complicating matters for National Chairman Oshiomhole who “they are desperate to help.”

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According to him, the attempt to drag Oyegun out of his post-service quietude into the controversy has provoked hatred and anger against the NEC and its leadership.

“Coming at a time that Comrade Oshiomole from Edo North and Governor Godwin Obaseki his estranged godson from Edo South are at daggers-drawn, pitthing the Comrade against Chief Oyegun, who is the foremost leader from Edo South, is counterproductive and, therefore, unwise.

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“Similarly, recent calls by supporters of Governor Obaseki on Comrade Oshiomhole to resign as National Chairman have only succeeded in demarketing the Governor who has continued to assert that there is no quarrel between him and Comrade Oshiomhole.

“The coincidence of this call for Comrade Oshiomhole’s resignation with that by the Deputy National Chairman of APC, Senator Lawan Shuaibu, an otherwise easy-going gentleman from Karaunamoda, Zamfara State, tends to lend credence to speculations that Governor Obaseki may have hired Senator Shuaibu against Comrade Oshiomhole.

“Supporters of both parties should,  therefore, control their temper and utterances lest they harm the leader they are desperate to help. Whether there are responsible and competent leaders in Edo APC will be ascertained by the end of this crisis,” Erhahon said.

He urged the party leaders to bear in mind that however the raging battle is fought, the APC will outlive the tensions and acrimony of the moment.