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Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State, Aselm Ojezua, has accused the National Chairman of the party and the immediate past governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of raising a third-rated army in Edo.
He made the accusation while addressing newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Benin on the recent political happenings within the party in the state.
He alleged that there had always been a grand plan by the national chairman of the party to create the impression of leadership crisis within the party.
“It is clear that there had all along been a grand plan to falsely create the impression of a crisis of leadership within the party in the state and these plans were hatched and executed under the directive of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and executed through his acclaimed ‘infantry division.’
“The ultimate objective of these activities appears to bring a forcible regime change in our party in defiance of democratic norms and the wishes of the people,” he further alleged.
Ojezua explained that the problems in the party started with the conduct of primaries to elective offices in 2018, adding that in accordance with the resolution passed by the National Executive Committee of the party, the leadership in the state decided their preference for the indirect mode but the national chairman decreed that it must be done by direct primaries.
He said in order not to unnecessarily heat up the polity, being sensitive of the fact that he is from the state, the Edo APC had to comply with his wish.
Ojezua also accused the national chairman of the party of singlehandedly foisting a group of strangers on the party in the state, contrary to the known traditions of politics in a manner so contemptuous that drew the angst of the leaders and members who came out in their large numbers to resist the attempt to undermine the party in the state.
Ojezua, therefore, called on Oshiomhole to resign from his position, considering all that had happened in the state and having been suspended in his ward, local government and the state.
“In the light of the foregoing, we have come to the conclusion that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole lacks the capacity, temperament and moral authority to lead this party as national chairman.
“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 constitution of the party which relates to 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,” he said.
But in a swift reaction, State Secretary of the party, Mr. Lawrence Okah, said the call for Oshiomhole’s resignation was laughable because it was coming from members of the Obaseki/Shaibu Solidarity Movement and not APC members.
“Ojezua is the chairman of OSM and not APC. Col. Imuse is the authentic chairman of the APC and recognised by the NWC. I said it is laughable because we have not seen where a tenant will ask the landlord to leave the house. Obaseki and Ojezua are a bunch of confused men who have lost focus as to how a party is run.
”Eleven out of 16 members of the state exco signed for Ojezua’s removal and he has been removed according to the constitution.
“We urge our APC members to ignore comments from these OSM members because they have perfected plans to join the PDP. And we will not allow them to destroy APC which is part of their plot,” Okah said.
