A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Media Committee for the Edo State governorship election and Commissioner for Special Projects in Imo State, Comrade Simon Ebegbulem, has described the Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukeman as a fifth columnist, playing a hatchet man’s job in the party to scuttle the expected victory of the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu at the polls.
In a statement in Benin, Ebegbulem urged Lukeman to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) instead of remaining in the APC to perpetrate his anti-party activities.
“It is now incontrovertible that the Director General (DG) of the Progressives Governors Forum, (PGF), Dr Salihu Lukeman, is a fifth columnist, playing the hatchet man’s job from the inside.
“For one, it is no longer news that Governor Godwin Obaseki, having defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is in vain, trying to curry the support of selected All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, to endorse his re-election bid on the platform of the opposition party.
“To all self respecting and loyal members of our party, the APC, this should be seen as an aberration, but not so for Dr Lukeman, who continues to display wanton disregard for the party’s efforts at consolidating on its electoral gains.
“His hatchet man’s job right under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, comes in the guise of picking on the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.
“All can testify as to the patriotic disposition of Oshiomhole, following the recent events that led to the constitution of a caretaker Exco for the APC, and his unequivocal submission to all the decisions of the hierarchy, including the president’s admonitions. Oshiomhole not only withdrew all cases in courts; but thereafter proceeded to Edo State, where he served as a two term governor, to face the work at hand”.
Referring to Lukeman’s comment on Oshiomhole that the former APC National chairman has hijacked the Edo State governorship campaign, the statement accused him (Lukeman) of assaulting the sensibility of all party faithful.
“He went ahead throwing tantrums, as to undermine the party’s efforts ahead of the Edo State Governorship Election of September 19, 2020.
Oshiomhole’s achievements, including his stewardship at the helm of affairs of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), remains a reference point till date, and it beats the imagination of anybody, why a Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, will lend himself to being used by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
“Whether Dr. Lukeman likes it or not, Oshiomhole will lead the APC to victory in Edo State, and then, he will be ashamed of himself, by which time he will forever shut up in his mindless pursuit of trying to denigrate the efforts of those working round the clock for positive results”, the statement