Oshiomhole’s loyalists in Edo APC slam suspension order
Members of the Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday described as ridiculous the Abuja court judgement which suspended him, insisting that Oshiomhole remains the party’s national chairman.
The party leaders who spoke at a press conference convened by four governorship aspirants loyal to the embattled APC national chairman also described as a shame Governor Godwin Obaseki’s jubilation over Oshiomhole’s suspension.
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They noted that the petition which the court relied upon to order Oshiomhole’ suspension as national chairman was signed by four persons out of the 27 ward executive members, adding that the suspension cannot stand since an appeal process has since commenced.
A governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on behalf of the other governorship aspirants, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Pius Odubu and Charles Airhiavhere also called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Bola Tinubu to immediately intervene in the matter to rescue the party.
He said: “We are aware that some people from his ward went to court seeking to remove him as national chairman. I concede that when a case is in court, it is sub-judice, but at the same time we want to make some simple analysis.
“The so called letter of suspension from his ward was signed by three persons so you can imagine how ridiculous it is to rely on a document signed by three persons. In any event, many of us know that a ward executive cannot even sack a local government chairman because a ward is just one among many.
“In the same vein, a ward executive cannot dream of sacking a state chairman because the chairman controls many local governments; so you can see how ridiculous it is.
“What we find shameful is the jubilation by the governor. I was ashamed to see Gov. Obaseki rejoicing that an eminent son, the same man who God used to put him as governor, the man who spoke for him to become governor. Does the removal of Oshiomhole guarantee a return ticket? It shows how shallow they are in thinking.
“Oshiomhole is an asset to Edo state and Nigeria. We will resist any attempt by anybody to disgrace him. Those speaking violence, talking about crushing and sacking, don’t have the capacity to sustain it. Edo state is solidly behind Oshiomhole.”
Ize -Iyamu said since Gov. Obaseki has consistently flouted his earlier ban on political rallies in the state, they will also begin to hold political rallies of their own and dared Gov. Obaseki to stop them.
Earlier, one of the leaders of the Oshiomhole faction of the APC, Henry Idahagbon observed that with the stay of execution already filed by Oshiomhole, nobody can stop him from functioning as the national chairman of the party.
