Edo APC crisis: Oshiomhole, Obaseki, Odigie-Oyegun and making of another Zamfara

As the Edo State governorship election billed for September 19, draws closer by the day, the gap in the crack in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seem to be getting more glaring, as many of its leaders appears to be coming out of the shadows to align with their preferred camp.

While the former National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun yesterday took out pages of advertorial in some national newspapers to explain what he said was agreed by the leadership of the party in the state, claiming that a reconciliation meeting was held where it was agreed that for the party to retain the state, its governorship ticket in the forthcoming election is ceded to the incumbent, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, some members of the party are bitter about that.

Odigie-Oyegun, in the advertorial claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari, has endorsed an agreement that Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu be returned for second term unless they do not wish to continue in office.

Obaseki and Akeredolu, who are both members of the APC are first-term governors, and have expressed interest in second term in office.

Odigie-Oyegun, said he was aware that Buhari had endorsed the two governors be given right of first refusal.

He, however, said since democracy did not encourage imposition, the party must also accept and present governorship aspirants.

He said, “I also welcome most warmly the news that Mr President has firmly endorsed the agreement reached to settle the disruptive leadership crisis at the national level that was threatening the very existence of the APC.

 “The immediately relevant part of the agreement was that both the governors – Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of Edo State and Mr Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN of Ondo State have performed creditably and should be returned unless they do not so wish.

“This means that the party, in unity, should organise to support the return of both governors.

 “Our democracy of course has no room for imposition, so the party must accept and also present members that offer themselves to serve in the positions being occupied by the incumbent governors.”

In the case of Edo State, the former party chairman expressed the hope that a consensus can be built around Obaseki because he has performed well and has not offended any aspect of the party’s constitution.

If a consensus cannot be built, Odigie-Oyegun said “everything must be done to ensure that the persons in the leadership of the party at the centre who are part of the contrived crisis in Edo State must not even remotely be allowed to plan, participate or supervise the primary election.”

He said allowing any member of the national leadership involved in the crisis in the state would amount to making such person (s) judges in their own case.

He said such was contrary to the principle of natural justice and would be resisted.

“Transparency must start with the guidelines as to how the primary elections will be conducted,” he said.

However, angered by the position of the former governor of the state, factional State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Chris Azebamwan in a reaction challenged the former party chairman to name those he accused of contriving crises in the state chapter of the party.

Azebamwan said; “It is not in our character, upbringing or culture to take an elder to the task, especially an elder with the towering stature and credentials of Pa John Odigie-Oyegun who retired as a Federal Super-Permanent Secretary, has been a State Governor and served as National Chairman of a major political party.

“He celebrated his 80th birthday recently, and we wish him many more years of service to the nation.

 “Against this background, one is at a loss to understand why Chief Odigie-Oyegun would make utterances that portray him as a mouthpiece or hireling of Godwin Obaseki. That the forthcoming primaries in Edo State would be credible is not in doubt. It is neither desirable, nor in the interest of anyone to compromise the process, and in so doing, give room for the Courts to intervene and upturn the results.

“The leadership of APC is determined to conduct credible primaries. In addition, one would have expected Chief Odigie-Oyegun to name or identify those he claims are contriving a crisis in Edo State.”

He also dismissed as untrue, claims by Chief Odigie-Oyegun that the party has agreed to offer an automatic second term ticket to Gov. Obaseki.

He said; “The more worrisome part of Pa Odigie-Oyegun’s outburst is his claim that as part of the reconciliation process, an automatic ticket was promised to Godwin Obaseki. To the best of my knowledge, Chief Odigie-Oyegun was not at the meeting where reconciliation was discussed. He is no longer a principal officer of the APC, and is in no position therefore, to lay claims to the inner workings of the Party.

 “One wonders why the National Reconciliation Committee headed by Chief Bisi Akande would have needed to be set up if positions had been taken on crucial issues like the ticket for Edo State governorship elections.

“We operate a democratic dispensation and Pa Odigie-Oyegun should allow the process throw up the best man for the job instead of attempting to throw a spanner in the works by promoting his personal opinions and the desperate ambitions of Godwin Obaseki as decisions or resolutions of our party leadership.

“He is an elder statesman and should not allow himself to be dragged into the fray. That would be a tragic fall from the high pedestal to which we are accustomed to placing him.”

However, all of these crisis emanating from the party has become a source of worry for the APC Deputy National Chairman (north), Lawal Shuaibu and placed the blame of what he described as a crisis in the party, not only in Edo State, but in other parts of the country on the doorstep of the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole

To him, the APC is presently a party in the “nest of lawlessness” and is now in comatose

Shuaibu also stated this on Thursday in a statement which he entitled “APC and its future, let us exercise caution.”

The statement read in part: “The ruling party which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law, is now the nest of lawlessness.

“Interestingly, all the issues I raised in my said letter have come to pass. Till date, the party, founded on the principles of constitutionalism and rule of law, is now subject of arbitrary administration, without regard for the dictates of the law.

“The ruling party which ought to be a model for others in the upholding of the rule of law, is now the nest of lawlessness. The entire legal framework governing the party administration in Nigeria today, the Nigerian constitution, the party constitution, the electoral act and INEC regulations and guidelines are more honoured by the party in breaches than obedience.”

Shuaibu said that the party’s NEC was the main decision-making organ after the convention, and “shall meet every three months. The power to set up standing or ad-hoc committees of the party is vested in the same NEC.”

Accusing Oshiomhole of appointing himself as chairman of the screening committees for governorship/senatorial elections and the final appeals committee, Shuaibu questioned the legality of such appointment.

He also faulted Oshiomhole’s alleged appointment of Waziri Bulama as the party’s acting national secretary on Monday May 18, saying that he was not democratically elected.

 “It is this refusal to convene NEC to perform its role that has led the party to the comatose state it is now. My fear is, it is being repeated now for Ondo and Edo.

Shuaibu fears that if this trend is allowed to continue nothing good should be expected from the forthcoming elections in Ondo and Edo because “there is already absence of transparency.”

He added, “The regulations issued that will guide the processes are already in violation of Article 20 (v) on page 76 of the APC constitution as amended where only the national executive committee is the only organ that shall approve such guidelines and regulations which includes the mode of nominating our candidates. I am crying for the APC inside me! Zamfara, here we come again.”

While some members of the party loyal to the national chairman may argue the situation in Edo or Ondo for that matter may not degenerate to the kind of case witnessed in Zamfara and Rivers where the party eventually lost out completely as a result of disagreement between the national leadership of the party and the state, the reality as many observers have reasoned is that indeed these states, especially Edo is heading quickly in that direction, if not is done to arrest it.

The question on t6he lips of many political watchers now is whether the political gladiators in the state are ready to swallow their pride and allow peace to reign or stand their grounds and allow other parties to take the shine off them, time they say will tell.