Suspend Oshiomhole from APC, Obaseki's faction tells Caretaker Buni

Barr. Anselm Ojezua

Barr. Anselm Ojezua, Edo State APC factional Chairman

Barr. Anselm Ojezua, Chairman Obaseki faction of APC

By Jethro Ibileke

The Godwin Obaseki faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State, has asked the national caretaker committee of the party to enforce the suspension order on Adams Oshiomhole, the former chairman.

Anslem Ojezua, a lawyer, who heads the faction asked the party to also enforce disciplinary actions on other actors within the party.

He said the sanctions were properly taken by relevant organs of the party in the state.

The party gave the charge in a communiqué issued after its executive committee meeting held at its secretariat on Airport Road, in Benin, to review the outcome of the just concluded governorship election in the state.

Ojezua and Ose Udiamen Edekere, the secretary signed the communique.

The faction asked the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led committee to investigate the alleged anti-party activities of Oshiomhole.

It said the investigation should include the circumstances and procedures that led to the admission of Osagie Ize-Iyamu into the party, having regards to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Constitution of the party (as amended).

The faction charged the Buni caretaker committee to further explore avenues to achieve full and genuine reconciliation in the party in the state.

It asked the committee to review the major factors that led to the abysmal failure of the party which made it impossible to retain its prime position in the last election.

The faction noted that anything short of fulfilling the demands could spell doom for the party.

The faction also condemned the leadership of the party for allowing “Oshiomhole to lead the campaign in Edo state to the exclusion of the entire party apparatus.

This, it said, left so much to be desired.

“With due respect, it smacks of gross negligence”, the faction said.

The statement reads in full:

“In the light of the foregoing, we believe that the National Caretaker Committee must present itself as being serious in its quest to reposition the party in response to the clear mandate of the National Executive Committee and the yearnings of the teeming members of the party in Edo State whose confidence in the leadership has been greatly compromised.

“They must exhibit the requisite courage to do all that is necessary and which must be predicated on the provisions of the Constitution of the Party and full obedience to the rule of law. With particular reference to Edo State.

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“Arising from the foregoing, it was clear that the campaign effort of the party in Edo State was designed to fail. Both Pastor Ize-Iyamu and Adams Oshiomhole erroneously believed that they could prosecute the campaign on the strength of their individual popularity to the exclusion of the entire party structure in the State,” he said.

“The crisis which was foisted on the Party by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole with the formation of a parallel group within the Party called the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) as a Special Purpose Vehicle to take over control of the Party in the State for the sole purpose of removing Godwin Obaseki from office as governor of Edo state.

“The forced exit of the incumbent Governor who we had identified as the most valuable asset of the party in Edo State and for whom the entire officers of the Party had expressed preference as a consensus candidate.

“The poor choice of a replacement in Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who already had a credibility problem in the state earlier created by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole himself.

“The total disregard and disrespect for the structures of the party in Edo state by the candidate of the party who put Adams Oshiomhole in charge of his campaign as the de facto leader, despite the fact of his suspension from the party.

“The contemptuous rebuff of the commendable and proactive efforts and recommendations of the Senator Ken Nnamani led Reconciliation Committee by Pastor Ize Iyamu and his inherited band of dissidents.

“The embezzlement and diversion of the very huge resources meant to be deployed for the elections by the candidate and his agents.
Arising from the foregoing, it was clear that the campaign effort of the Party in Edo State was designed to fail.

“Both Pastor Ize-Iyamu and Adams Oshiomhole erroneously believed that they could prosecute the campaign on the strength of their individual popularity to the exclusion of the entire Party Structure in the State. This they did without cognizance of the fact that they had frittered away whatever goodwill they had with the people in the course of their unholy conspiracy against the Governor and the Party.

“That the leadership of the Party at the National level allowed Oshiomhole to lead the campaign in Edo State to the exclusion of the entire Party apparatus, in spite of his suspended membership status and the disgraceful dissolution of the National Working Committee that he led, leaves so much to be desired. With due respect, it smacks of gross negligence.

“In the light of the foregoing, we believe that the National Caretaker Committee must present itself as being serious in its quest to reposition the Party in response to the clear mandate of the National Executive Committee and the yearnings of the teeming members of the Party in Edo State whose confidence in the leadership has been greatly compromised.

“They must exhibit the requisite courage to do all that is necessary and which must be predicated on the provisions of the Constitution of the Party and full obedience to the rule of law.

“With particular reference to Edo State, the Committee must first:

“Enforce the suspension order on Adams Oshiomhole and other persons against whom disciplinary actions have been properly taken by the relevant organs of the Party in the State.

“Investigate the anti-party activities of Adams Oshiomhole including the circumstances and procedures that led to the admission of Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu into the party, having regards to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Constitution of the Party (as amended).

“Explore further avenues to achieve full and genuine reconciliation in Edo State. Anything short of that will spell doom for the Party in the State.”

Effort to get reaction from the David Imuse faction of the party failed.

Several calls made to the publicity secretary of the faction, Chris Azebamwan went unanswered.

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