Edo APC ratifies Oshiomhole’s suspension

* sanctions Owan West, Etsako West, Etsako Central LGs chairmen

The Executive Council of the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday ratified the suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, from the party in the state.

The decision, it was gathered, was reached at an enlarged meeting of the council and other party chieftains with the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, in attendance.

Addressing APC leaders from the 18 local governments, the party State Chairman, Anslem Ojezua, said the crisis in the party started after the party primaries in 2018.

“The issues were later aggravated in April and May 2019 which culminated in the formation of the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), an infamous group proscribed in our last meeting.

“Yesterday, 15 chairmen of the APC chapters in the local councils and 23 out of the 35 members of the State Executive Committee passed a vote of no confidence on the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, while a vote of confidence was passed on my person.

“The APC local council chairmen have found out that Adams Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in Edo APC and following the findings, lost confidence in the leadership of the national chairman by passing a vote of no confidence on him.

“Considering the stand of these chairmen and also based on the report from organs of the party, we affirmed the suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from APC in Edo State,” he said.

According to him three local government chairmen from Owan West, Etsako West and Etsako Central who stayed away from the meeting have been suspended while their Vice Chairmen are to act until those positions are filled.

On his part, Obaseki said he is not happy with the recent political developments in the state, especially the disruptions from a once-trusted leader who has thrown caution to the wind to cause disaffection among APC members in the state.

“When I first met Oshiomhole 12 years ago, we shared a common interest in salvaging Edo state but all that has changed in recent times. I am not an ungrateful person. No one made me governor.

“I became governor by God’s grace, with the support of many other people. If God had said I would not be governor, no way would I have been a governor. It is wrong for someone to say he made me governor,”

He said no one gave him money as the funds Oshiomhole initially raised for his governorship ambition was raised by him in Lagos, saying that “if I can raise money for myself  for his election, why would I not be able to raise money for my own election.”