Enugu APC passes vote of confidence on Oshiomhole
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state yesterday passed vote of confidence, endorsing the leadership of its national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, saying those calling for his removal lacked the capacity to do so.
The party also appealed to one of its founding fathers and the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu to be mindful of his utterances over the primaries of the party held in the state, explaining that his utterances was unbecoming of a leader and one who benefitted from the party.
Okechukwu had since the conclusion of the Enugu west senatorial primaries which he lost to Mrs Juliet Ibekaku –Nwagwu lampooned Oshiomhole for alleged disdain for impunity and circumvention of due process among others. He had also queried the credibility of the primaries that threw up the candidates in some states including Enugu.
Addressing a press conference in Enugu however, State Chairman of the party, Dr Ben Nwoye said that Oshiomhole has done well, having moved the party to an enviable height from where its former chairman, Chief John Oyegun stopped.
He said: “Oshiomhole is God sent to APC. He took over few months ago but has won elections in Ekiti and Osun as well as senatorial elections.
Those calling for his removal on account of losing in the primaries of the party lack the capacity to remove him. He will finish his tenure; he has done well and should be allowed to continue.
You don’t change the captain in the middle of the game. We just came out of the primaries and moving into the next phase, so he should be allowed to lead. Enugu APC endorsed him before now and we hereby renew that endorsement because he has shown leadership”.
Nwoye appealed to Osita Okechukwu to retrace his steps and guard his utterances over the outcome of the primaries in Enugu state. Explaining that the primaries of the party were credible and peaceful, he stated that it was not fair for anybody that lost to tear the house into pieces
“Osita Okechukwu taking on the national chairman is not a way to unify the APC. While we respect his views and opinions, he is not entitled to his facts.
He is a man of honour and an elder in the game, but popularity at times does not win in electoral contest. We are begging him to come back and stop the unguarded utterances as they are not in the interest of the party.
He should not tear down the house because he lost election. He is taking it too hard on the party and should not continue to undermine the chances of our candidates”, he said.
Nwoye said that the primaries that produced the candidates of the party in the state were credible, stressing that, though the governorship candidate, Senator Ayogu Eze was the last to join the race, the odds in the party worked in his interest because of his charisma.
“We have held elections before now; before Ayogu Eze joined the party Nwoga was making waves. He was a front-runner until Eche joined, then Ogara, Akubue and Senator Eze was the last to join.
It is not of him who started first but by popular votes. Eze is versatile with Enugu politics, he was Commissioner in this state and served previous administrations; he became a Senator and rose to the Information Committee chairman, where his record is yet to be equalled.
The zoning arrangement favoured him and that was why the 17 local government chairmen endorsed him even before the primaries.
“When we held the indirect primaries that were stopped midway, Ayogu Eze was already leading with over 400 votes from 4 local governments out of 17. Now, the party called for direct primaries and these things were done in the ward.
It is the people who voted and in the end, the committee from the headquarters returned him as winner. The records are there; the exercise was peaceful.
Nobody complained of being harassed by anybody. So going on air to undermine the process will not help the APC. We should learnt to forgive and work in the interest of the party”, Nwoye said.
