Tony Osauzo, Benin and Judex Okoro, Calabar
Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), South South zone, Hilliard Etta, has described as illegal, the alleged suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Godwin Obaseki and others by the various factions.
Addressing a section of journalists in Calabar, yesterday, Etta said non of the processes that led to their various suspensions lived up to the expectations of the party and therefore cannot stand.
He regretted that a matter that could have been handled internally and amicably has degenerated into a public discourse, adding that the implications on the party in the pending Edo State governorship election would be far-reaching.
Etta denied he was aware of any meeting that led to the alleged suspensions, saying the level of ignorance among members on how the various organs of the party function might have aggravated the crisis in Edo.
He said: “Let me state there are constitutional processes and steps that must be satisfied before suspending any party member, official or stalwart. In other words, the national chairman, the governor, the deputy governor, the secretary to the government and others involved are not in anyway suspended because the provisions of the constitution with regard to suspension of party members were not followed. So, it is null and void.”
Meanwhile, the Edo chapter of the party has rejected the purported suspension of the state Chairman, Anselm Ojezua, by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Assistant Secretary of the party, Ikhuenobe Anthony, yesterday, in a statement, described the decision of the NWC as “bias, considering the speed by which it accepted the unconstitutional attempt by some misguided renegade members of the State Working Committee to remove the state chairman from office without recourse to the state executive committee (SEC).
“In any case, party SEC in Edo State had met on November 12, and passed a vote of implicit confidence in Ojezua.
“Nothing was done to authenticate the signatories to the infamous document relied on by the officers concerned. Having accepted the charade presented to them, they tried to shroud their shameful act in a garb of fairness by purporting to set up a fact-finding panel. This raises very strong doubts whether in fact, a meeting of the NWC actually took place,” he said.
Citing relevant sections of the APC constitution, Anthony urged the party’s national leadership to recuse itself from any matter concerning Edo State and allow the NWC of the party to attend to the issues and matters raised.