BEVERLY HILLS, November 12, (THEWILL) – The crisis in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is clearly being fueled by the power play between the leadership of the party in the state led by Governor Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the party, who also hails from the state.
THEWILL recalls that Oshiomhole has been asked to convene a meeting of the party’s NEC immediately or resign. The call was made by state governors elected on the platform of the party, the Progressive Governors Forum, who accused the leader of orchestrating the crisis in the state.
However, using the National Working Committee, which he controls, the party Wednesday upheld the suspension of Anselm Ojezua as state party chairman but was silent on the suspension of state secretary, Lawrence Okah, who is standing with Oshiomhole in the power play. The NWC was also silent on the suspension of Oshiomhole by the state chapter of the party.
The full statement by the NWC reads:
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has watched with grave concern the political development within the Party ranks in Edo State and is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of events. We note that this is happening inspite of the various steps the party has taken to find an amicable resolution.
Recall that party leaders such as the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, and other eminent party leaders, had all tried at various times to ensure that the issues do not escalate.
Sadly, these interventions have not yielded the desirable results.
However, the immediate concern of the NWC is how to ensure that unity returns to the ranks of the party in Edo State. In achieving this, we have decided to constitute a high-power fact-finding and reconciliation committee of party leaders to meet with all disputing parties to ensure that all issues are addressed and resolved.
Meanwhile, the meeting of the NWC, which held today, Wednesday, at the Party’s National Secretariat received a notification of the suspension of the Edo State APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua by eleven [11] of the sixteen [16] members of the Edo State Working Committee (SWC). We have reviewed the process they followed and conclude that they have fulfilled the required conditions.
We therefore uphold the suspension of the Edo State APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua while we await the outcome of the fact-finding and reconciliation committee.
Please note that the NWC’s objective and cause of action is strictly to address the root causes of the disputations and reconcile all parties to make our great party even stronger.
SIGNED:
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC).”
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