ER FUNCTION AS NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE APC

point, to foster the interest of those opposed to the reforms.

The EPM thereafter attempted to set up parallel structures in the Local Government Areas of the State, consequent upon which the State Executive Committee met, pronounced the group unconstitutional and set up a committee to investigate reports of its activities and make appropriate recommendations. One of those cited for investigation was the erstwhile State Secretary Mr. Lawrence Okah who was then requested to proceed on suspension pending the outcome of the Committee report.

On the verge of the submission of that report, the same Lawrence Okah organized a gangster type operation to coerce members of the State Working Committee into endorsing the removal and replacement of the State Chairman of the Party in contravention of Article 21 of the Constitution of our Party which places such powers within the exclusive preserve of the Executive organs of the Party.

In utter disregard for the role of the Zonal Executive Committee in matters of this nature, and in a clear usurpation of the powers of the National Executive Committee of the party, as provided for in the party’s constitution, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole got the National Publicity Secretary of the Party to publish the endorsement and adoption of that contraption in gross violation of the party’s constitution.

In consequence of the prevailing state of affairs, series of meetings were held at different levels of the party in the state where far reaching decisions were taken in the overriding interest of the party in Edo State, including the meeting of the APC Executives of Ward 10 in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State held on the 2nd day of November 2019 where a Vote of No Confidence was passed on Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, consequent upon which he was suspended from the Party. The suspension has since been affirmed by Ward Chairmen of APC in Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State held on the 6th day of November 2019 and the LGA Executives of APC in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State via a meeting held on the 9th day of November 2019.

Strangely, rather than follow due process in responding to these actions and in spite of all attempts by the leadership of the party to intervene, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, apparently feeling too big to subject himself to the processes of ‘small people’ including his Ward Executives and the Local Government Party Chairmen, chose to continue to make and sponsor divisive comments in the print and electronic media.

Having come to the realisation that the Party structure in the State had eluded him, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole supervised what may be appropriately called a ‘coup’ against the Constitution of our Party by purporting to remove the State Chairman of the Party using seven dissident members of the State Working Committee. He went ahead to authorize the announcement of the National Working Committee’s ratification of that aberration. In doing this, he completely ignored and bypassed the State Executive and Zonal Executive Committees of the Party in violation of the constitution of the APC. In consequence, we wrote a petition to the National Executive Committee of the Party through the National Vice Chairman (South South) which did not see the light of day.

It was in such dire circumstances and to preserve the sanctity of our constitution and restore order within the ranks of the party that the state chapter of the party had to approach the court, which resulted in an Order of the High Court, Benin, directing the sustenance of status quo ante and effectively restraining one Col. David Imuse (Rtd) from parading himself as Chairman of the party in Edo State.

In spite of the subsisting court order and consistent with his oft-displayed penchant for disregard for order and due process, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole took along with him and introduced to President Muhammadu Buhari at a meeting of the President with the State APC chairmen, the said Col. David Imuse (Rtd) as chairman of the APC in Edo State. As at today, contempt proceedings are ongoing in connection with the foregoing. He has also taken several steps which have deepened the crisis in the state chapter of the party.

The recent constitution by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of a National Reconciliation Committee, in our opinion, falls short of acceptable standards. We have since put on record the reason for the rejection of the said committee. But, we must express our profound respect for each and every member of the proposed committee. Our objection is based only on our respect for the principles of Natural Justice. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole cannot preside over a meeting to appoint a committee to arbitrate on matters where he himself is a party. Aside the foregoing fact, the distinguished Senate President and the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, both of whom, we emphasise, we hold in very high esteem, had presided over sittings of the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively where resolutions were passed to ‘take over’ the Edo State House of Assembly. It is our opinion that having done so, they cannot now sit in a committee over a matter in which they had displayed so much interest.

Our understanding of the decision of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress on the issue of setting up the Reconciliation Committee is that it ought to be set up directly by President Muhammadu Buhari in his capacity as leader of the Party, as Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Working Committee are currently embroiled in most of the disputes across the country and their actions and inactions resulted in most of such disputes.

Accordingly, we wish to, once again, call on the leadership of the Party, particularly, Mr. President, the Progressive Governors Forum, the State Chairmen, other members of the National Executive Committee of the Party and other well meaning leaders of the Party to rise up to the occasion, do the needful and deal with the cankerworm currently eating deep into the fabrics of our Party. We believe this is supported by our recent experiences as a party, that a political solution is always better than a judicial solution in circumstances such as this.

While we pledge to work with a properly, fairly and duly constituted Reconciliation Committee to resolve this long-drawn, needless and avoidable crisis in the Edo State chapter of our party, our position, which we have mentioned and variously reiterated in the past, is that it has become clearly impossible for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to continue to lead the APC as National Chairman. It is imperative that he steps aside to save the soul of the party. It cannot be overemphasized that having been validly suspended as a member of the party by his ward, all actions and steps taken by him as National Chairman are in jeopardy with the likelihood of grave consequences for the party.