Ondo APC senatorial crisis: Oshiomhole must resign now – Aggrieved aspirants

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole has been given a 24- hour ultimatum to rescind the “purported” screening of only three senatorial aspirants in Ondo state or resigns from office.

The ultimatum was given by one of the affected aspirants who was screened out by the NWC, Dr. Tunji Abayomi at a press briefing together with other affected aspirants.

Abayomi stated that Oshiomhole is not fit and proper to led the party going by what he described as “audacious impunity” by the national chairman during the screening.

He maintained that the process was orchestrated to disenfranchised members of the party from electing their preferred candidates as the NWC never sat to screen any of the aspirants.

“If he fails or succeeds as Governor, certainly he has failed tremendously as National Chairman of the party.

“The tragedy is that he was elected to reduce the crisis of the party but he has assumed the position to increase in mindfold the crisis.

“In order not to kill the APC, please, Mr. Adam Oshiomhole resign now, it would be wrong to underestimate the character of the people of Ondo state”.

He further explained that he has written to Oshiomhole to explore the internal mechanism of the APC as stated in the party’s constitution or face a redress in court.

“It is necessary to remind him that we have been in the fore front of the struggle for change in Nigeria from pre-independence until now.

“Let Adams Oshiomhole know that our fathers raised us to stand up for something and not to fall for everything.

“And in this particular case, we will stand up for something and for the rule of law, constitution of APC and constitution of Nigeria.

“And we will not equivocate, retreats nor move an inch from intoning that position.

“Mr. Oshiomhole lied to the people and there was no NWC that sat, and if there was one, he should give us the minutes of the meeting.

“He should also give us the time the meeting was held and the decisions that was taken and with numbers of voters for what he has put out.

“In fact, been the Chairman, he can tell a lie, he is unfit and unsuitable to lead APC that suppose to be a party of change.

“So, he just has twenty four hours to explore the internal mechanism of the party but if he failed, he will see the show of Ondo state people.”

Also one of the aspirants who was cleared by the NWC, Sen. Tayo Alasoadura representing Ondo Central Senatorial District also joined in the call for the “purported” clearance to be cancelled in order to allow a level playing field for all aspirants.

“It is a fact that the National Working Committee did not meet to discuss any matter relating to the screening of candidates, let alone take a decision on same. In consequence, the representation is false and unfortunate.

“We are unaware of any provisions, either in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended or the constitution of the All Progressives Congress, empowering the Chairman of the party or any other officer to abridge or deny the guarantee rights of the members to aspire to serve and that of the people to elect those who represent them.

“More disturbing is the increasingly impunity associated with the leadership of the party under Mr. Adams Oshiomhole. There has been a high level of inconsistent standards applied across states of the Federation.

There have been direct and embarrassing violations of both the constitution of Nigeria and that of APC. We also observed manifest unjust and unjustified preferential treatment of certain categories of aspirants and political tendencies, among others.

“The most violent, wrongful and unconstitutional violation is the purported act of denying the right of the people to elect their representatives.”

Other affected senatorial aspirants present at the press conference are Victor Olabimtan (Ondo North), Lucky Ayedatiwa (Ondo South) and Odunayo Akinrinsola (Ondo South).