Chris Azebanmwan, the state Publicity Secretary of Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of masterminding the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s national chairman.
POLITICS NIGERIA reported the leadership crisis that has been rocking the ruling party and the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman.
In press briefing held in Benin City on Tuesday, He added that the desperation by Governor Godwin Obaseki for second term ticket without passing through the rigours of primary was responsible for the crisis in party.
According to him, some members of the party with selfish ambition planned the removal of Oshiomhole as the National Chairman.
Azebanmwan also alleged that Obaseki has turned the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party to an arm of the state government where meetings are held in government house, resolutions drafted and signatures on the attendance list appended as if they were signed in support of the resolutions.
He said it was part of the design to polarise the party in Edo State that resulted in the alleged suspension of Oshiomhole in his ward.
“We the leaders, officers and party faithful of APC Edo State hereby categorically and unequivocally state for the record that we have implicit confidence in Adam’s Oshiomhole as our National Chairman.
We also wish to put it on record that the state Executive Committee of our party in Edo State stand by the 17 Exco members of Ward 10, Etsako West Local Government Area who have publicly denounced the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole at his Ward level.
The purported suspension was the machinations of Godwin Obaseki using nine erstwhile members of the Ward Exco who had earlier been suspended by the majority of that organ of the party in the Ward,” He said.
The party spokesperson added that Obaseki believes he is bigger than the party hence his contempt for party structures and party faithful.
Meanwhile, all efforts to get the reaction of Special Adviser to Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, proved abortive as he was yet to respond to our correspondent’s calls.
It should also be noted that Messrs Oshiomhole and Obaseki have been at loggerheads in recent times over the control of Edo state and the party’s actions.
Also, the Governorship election of the state has been scheduled for September.
