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  • Edo APC: Obaseki, Oshiomhole in eye of the storm

    A curious supremacy crisis is brewing between Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole over the control of the party in the state. Correspondent OTABOR OSAGIE examines the implications of the conflict on the party ahead of next year’s governorship poll.

    LAST month, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki told his opponents within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that he was not a weakling. He said his humane disposition should not be mistaken for weakness. Describing himself as an unwilling serpent, he said he can sting and strike. Governor Obaseki who is known as “Mr. Wake and See” lived up to his reputation when Edo people woke up to see the much awaited 7th Edo State House of Assembly already inaugurated. The upper cut action dealt a blow to his opponents.

    The euphoria that greeted the victory of the Edo State APC in the House of Assembly elections in which it won all the 24 seats did not last long. It was a sweet victory, especially when it came after the party lost the presidential election, two senatorial seats and managed to win five seats in the National Assembly. In the House of Assembly election, the APC won all the available 24 seats; a feat it has not achieved since it came out power in 2008.

    Those who emerged victorious at the polls are: Chris Okaeben (Oredo West), Crosby Eribo (Egor), Henry Okhuarobo (Ikpoba-Okha), Roland Asoro (Orhionmwon West), Nosayaba Okunbor (Orhionmwon East), Uyi Ekhosuehi (Oredo East), Washington Osifo (Uhunmwode), Ugiagbe Dumez (Ovia North East 1), Vincent Uwadiae (Ovia North East 11), Sunday Aghedo (Ovia South West), and Francis Okiye (Esan North East 1).

    The others are: Emmanuel Agbaje (Akoko-Edo 11), Yekini Idaiye (Akoko-Edo 11), Eric Okaka (Owan East), Michael Ohio-Ezo (Owan West), Oshoma Ahmed (Estako Central), Kingsley Ugabi (Estako East), Emmanuel Okoduwa (Esan North East 11), Victor Edoror (Esan Central), Sunday Ojiezele (Esan South East), Marcus Onobun (Esan West), Ephraim Aluebhosele (Igueben), Ganiyu Audu (Estako West 1) and Seid Oshiomhole (Estako West 11).

    Out of the 24 elected lawmakers, 14 are new members elected for the first time to the house, eight are returning members of the immediate past assembly that were re-elected and two are former members of the house who lost their re-election bid in 2011 and 2015.

    In spite of the good showing in the election, sharing the spoils of electoral victory has however caused ripples within the party. The general expectation of Edo people was that the APC would find it easy to control the lawmakers, in terms of picking the house leadership. But, that was not the case, as the elected lawmakers were caught between the alleged cold war between Governor Obaseki and former governor and National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Some of the lawmakers were seen as ‘Oshiomhole loyalists’, while others were perceived as ‘Obaseki boys’. Leading contenders for the position of Speaker were a former Majority Leader, Frank Okiye (Esan North East 1), Emmanuel Okoduwa (Esan North East II) and Victor Edoror (Esan Central). Obaseki, sources said, preferred Okiye, while Oshiomhole rooted for Edoror.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole under fire over Edo Assembly crisis

    Last year when Edoror was impeached as Deputy Speaker over alleged corruption and engaging in acts capable of causing division in the assembly, it was rumoured that it was because he was being used by Oshiomhole to destabilise the Obaseki administration.

    Edoror denied the allegation saying he has not met with Oshiomhole for a long time. His words: “I don’t want to believe that Obaseki and Oshiomhole have issues. For anybody to say Oshiomhole is using me is a fool. They are lying. Obaseki is my friend. How can I be the one to destabilise a working government?”

    As both men lobbied to be Speaker, the leadership of the Edo APC stepped in and briefed the 24-lawmakers elect the position of the party. After a series of meetings, which failed to convince the lawmakers-elect to see reason, the party opted to zone the Speakership seat to Edo Central, while the Deputy Speakership seat and that of the Deputy Whip were zoned to Owan Federal Constituency. The position of Chief Whip was also zoned to Edo South.

    But, the lawmakers-elect supporting Edoror rejected the proposal of the Edo APC, even when they were given options of meeting with leaders in each zone to pick the house leadership. They said they should be given the choice of picking their leaders during plenary and vowed that they would not allow Governor Obaseki pick their leaders for them.

    At a meeting with Governor Obaseki, the lawmakers-elect made some fresh demands before they would adhere to the party’s zoning arrangement. The demands, party sources said, is for the governor to give them the yearly N36m for constituency projects, instead of executing the projects on their behalf, payment of all allowances owed old members, restoration of traveling allowances and other payments stopped by Obaseki.

    On the action of the lawmakers-elect, State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Anselm Ojezua, warned of repercussions if they do not comply with the decision of the party. He said: “There are legitimate claims. The party has nothing against them making those claims, if they are legitimate. I think the governor is open to discussions, so long as there is dialogue. They are not threatening anybody. They are just asking for what they believe will enhance service delivery to their constituencies.

    “There is a way we can go into it. If there are projects they have interest, they can make input into the budget and the state will implement. There is nothing wrong if a legislature ensure a project goes to his constituency so that he can have something to show.

    “The party is keeping to its own obligations and we have taken the steps we need to take. The Governor has prerogative to write the proclamation letter. We don’t need to put him under pressure. He knows the importance of the parliament in a democratic system. He will do what is needful.

    “There is nothing like any lawmaker being an Oshiomhole or an Obaseki boy. Obaseki is Oshiomhole’s boy. There can be no other Oshiomhole or Obaseki boy. If people should give themselves name, it does not make sense to me, because all of us are Oshiomhole’s product.”

    On Monday, 19-lawmakers elect presented themselves before reporters, demanding Governor Obaseki to immediately send proclamation letter to the Clerk of the Assembly. Washington who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers-elect said they would not be intimidated by Governor Obaseki to pick leadership of his choice.

    Osifo said Governor Obaseki was attempting to truncate democracy, by refusing to send the proclamation letter. He said the governor, no matter how powerful, could not impose individuals, either as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, on the legislature, but could only lobby for his preferred candidate as witnessed at the National Assembly.

    What the 19 lawmakers-elect did not know was that at the time they were addressing reporters, other lawmakers were already at the assembly complex waiting to be sworn-in. They also did not know that four of the lawmakers-elect were moles.

    Pictures later emerged of the Clerk, Alhaji Audu Yahaya Omagbai, performing the inauguration of nine new lawmakers after which Okiye and Idiaye emerged Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. There were claims that the inauguration took place at night, but government officials said it was around 3pm; the same time the 19-lawmakers were addressing reporters at a different venue.

    Explaining the legality of the action, a top government official said the 19-lawmakers elect failed to do the proper thing before rushing to the press to embarrass Governor Obaseki.

    The official said:  “The constitution says after the swearing in of the governor, he shall issue a proclamation. Was the governor sworn in on May 29? So, how will you now apply what is happening in another state to Edo State? This is a sitting governor when the lawmakers were elected. Did the constitution provide for such a situation?”

    On the issue of whether a quorum was formed, he said Section 96 does not specify whether the quorum should be at plenary or committee level. He accused the other 15 members-elect who were absent, of failing to do the needful by approaching the Code of Conduct Bureau to obtain forms for declaration of assets and submit, and then report to the clerk of the house with the documents for inauguration.

    He added: “Why must people now import what is not into the constitution to justify their ignorance? After every election there are processes. First, INEC must give you Certificate of Return; you go to the Code of Conduct Bureau and present yourself to the Clerk of the house. These are the procedure at both state and the National Assembly. Ask them how many of them have done this, and presented themselves to the clerk afterwards to say, these are my documents?

    “The constitution says the governor shall issue a proclamation and send it to the clerk; not to the Oba or the Chief Judge. And that he shall read it to members who present themselves. It is the governor who fixes the date on which he wants to proclaim the house.”

    However, Osifo countered that the law requires the inauguration of the entire members and not a few at odd hours. He insisted that they were not invited to the inauguration ceremony by the Clerk.

    His words: “The Clerk told us he will call back 30 minutes later, but we didn’t hear from him again. Some of our brothers who were supposed to be at a meeting with us were absent. We called them and they were not picking their calls.

    “At 9:30pm, photographs began to filter into our phones suggesting that a kangaroo assembly was being inaugurated. We were disappointed. One of us was spotted with a short and slippers taking oath of office. That was an offence in the hallowed chamber. They humiliated him.

    “Two of them were also kidnapped to make up the nine members they believe they needed, because they lack understanding of what a quorum could mean. There can be no quorum until the house is properly inaugurated.  What the law requires is inauguration of the entire members. They got four and said they have a quorum. It was for the Clerk to announce or cause invitation to be sent to us. That was missing. They gave information of the inauguration only to those they wanted to be there. We would have been there.

    “We have done the needful. We want to encourage Edo people to defend democracy and stand up for the right of men. We have 16 members present here. Others that are not here are still in shock after they were kidnapped. Two of them are still in shock. They are receiving treatment, because their blood pressure went up.”

    Eric Okaka (Owan East) and Nosa Okunbor (Orhionmwon East) who spoke to reporters said they were forcefully taken to the hallowed chamber for the inauguration. Okaka said: “I didn’t know where they brought a suit from for me to wear. The oath taking at the chamber was an illegal one. I am a child of the Light.

    “The inauguration was done under duress. I didn’t collect any money, even though there was an attempt to offer me money, but I refused.”

    Oshiomhole has continued to maintain sealed lips on his alleged fallout with Obaseki. This, some analysts said, are what many politicians and the lawmakers-elect might be hanging to pledge loyalty to Oshiomhole. How the game will end is uncertain, but Governor Obaseki has delivered his sucker punch.

  • I would’ve sued doctors that wrongly diagnosed my wife, says Oshiomhole

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has called for a review of Nigeria’s medical system so that doctors treat patients only in that aspect in which they have competence.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said wrong diagnoses could be prevented by governments if it provides robust regulation on the health system.

    Oshiomhole who spoke at the Founders Day and Launching of Endowment fund of the University of Bénin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) said his late wife, Clara, died of wrong diagnoses.

    The APC National Chairman said he would have sued the doctors if it were in another terrain because his wife was a victim of quack medical doctors.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said, “You visit a hospital, one doctor is gynaecologist, psychologist, pediatric, and the doctor treats everything. My wife was unfortunate to have been diagnosed as having something different while the cancer in her breast was growing.

    “This generalized system of medical system is what we must review. It is not the task of government that things are not working. People elect government to make things work. That was why I decided to build what I called Five Star hospital to replace the decayed Central Hospital. I do hope that one day that hospital will open and you will see the equipment.

    “One thing we need to do is appropriate compensation. When we have the right policy framework, the other level of compensation, people are paid according to, I believe doctors working outside the country will come back.”

    Former Nigeria’s Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon hailed late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and late Prof. T Bello-Osagie for ensuring local people get access to tertiary health services instead of traveling to Lagos or Ibadan.

    General Gowon expressed joy that the UBTH has served the people well.

    He said, “In terms of training and research, the UBTH has performed excellently well in collaboration with UNIBEN.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole, other APC leaders behind my ordeal, says Okorocha

    Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire. commended the UBTH management for conceiving the endowment fund.

    Dr. Ehanire challenged Nigeria hospitals to aim higher and compete for excellence internationally.

    Ehanire noted that the problems in hospitals in the country were not due to lack of equipment or expertise but a challenge of trust.

    His words, “Improvement is urgently needed in all aspect from environmental upgrade to tip-top house keeping; from prompt and polite attention to patients at first point of call especially registration..

    “It goes simply pumping more and more money into operations. It requires rededicating yourselves to fight wastage, leakage and damage; to better optimization of resources and assets.”

  • Obaseki dismisses rift with Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has dismissed any rift with his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Obaseki, who spoke to reporters at the Benin airport after arriving from his annual vacation, described the alleged rift as fake news.

    Oshiomhole has been mute on the alleged rift and has said nothing about next year’s governorship polls

    The governor, who was accompanied by his wife Betsy, arrived at the airport at exactly 11.30am and was received by a large crowd led by Acting Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu.

    Read also: How Obaseki revived public education in Edo

    He waved the 4+4 sign to the crowd, an indication of his intention to run for a second term.

    Obaseki told the people to expect more wake and see projects, saying he is back refreshed and feeling good to continue to deliver good governance to them.

    Other persons who welcomed Obaseki included Secretary to the State Government Osarodion Ogie, Speaker of the House of Assembly Kabiru Adjoto, Chief of Staff to the governor, Taiwo Akerele and the 18 council chairmen.

  • Oshiomhole: Activist and political aficionado @ 67

    Human epochs are replete with great men and women in the various fields who defined and continue to define their peculiar histories with the magnitude of their accomplishments. Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, mni, CON, national chair of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) is one member of that tribe. It is on this score that it becomes apposite to celebrate the former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and former governor of Edo State who turned 67 yesterday, April 4.

    Comrade, as he is popularly referred to by associates and devotees, happened on the national stage in 1999 when he emerged as the fourth president of the NLC. As someone who restlessly craves the institution of legacies for posterity, he immediately set out and committed himself to building an independent, militant and socially responsive fighting organisation. To be sure, the independent, militant and socially-responsive dispositions were not for gratuitous appropriation of the spoils of office.

    He deployed the powers of his NLC presidency in becoming the number one defender of the rights and welfare of the working people. He provided leadership by staying in the frontline in resisting arbitrary increases in the prices of petroleum products. The NLC under his watch was a nemesis of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration on its harsh fuel pricing policy as well as other socio-economic policies that were injurious to the wellbeing of Nigerians.

    Combating arbitrary increases in fuel pump prices was one turf of policy antagonism; the other turf was the battle for salary increases for workers. He secured significant salary increases for workers, the last being the 15 percent increase across board. Under his presidency, the NLC became the most popular and influential non-state actor in the country, which provided effective opposition to then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    For his courage, tenacity and single-minded devotion to labour issues, he earned himself such monikers as “Hurricane Adams” and “Adamant Adams”.  But the workers and masses loved to refer to him as the “People’s President” (which was eventually as the title of a book written on his eight-year robust leadership of the NLC that was publicly presented in Abuja on 10 February, 2011).

    In April 2007, he was overwhelmingly elected governor of Edo State on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) but his mandate was stolen, thus precipitating an intense legal struggle to reclaim his mandate.  The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal restored the mandate, which was re-affirmed on November 11, 2008 by the Court of Appeal.  On November 12, 2008, he was formally sworn in as governor of Edo State.

    As governor, Oshiomhole adopted what is now popularly referred to as participatory, people-driven and bottom-up approach to governance.  This is based on his well-advertised campaign slogan, that is: “Let the people lead”.  He shunned the bogus title of “executive governor” and did not tolerate the pretentious appellation of “His Excellency.”  To Edo people, Oshiomhole was simply and truly the comrade-governor, people’s governor or just simply, comrade.

    A foremost apostle of “one man, one vote” and the most methodical visionary and transformer that the Edo people have seen in this generation, Oshiomhole was rewarded with a resounding victory for a second term in office in the governorship election that was held on 14 July, 2012.  For the first time in Edo State, Oshiomhole won election in the entire 18 Local Government Areas.

    He was a phenomenal figure whose wisdom was required by the federal government in conflict resolutions. For instance, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua requested him to negotiate and resolve the stalemate that led to a three-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Comrade did not fail to deliver.

    Oshiomhole shattered the assumption, prior to his emergence as governor that labour leaders don’t do well in public offices, by delivering the goods in Edo State. Having inherited a state with decayed infrastructure, a state that was held hostage by powerful cabal in the PDP, he did not despair but rather rose to the occasion by confronting the problems head-on.  He did not complain but rather he started the battle by ensuring that his party, the then ACN got the majority in the state House of Assembly and eventually took over the leadership of the House.

    Oshiomhole strategically embarked on massive construction of roads across the state, commenced what was referred to as the red roof revolution in both primary and secondary schools through the construction of red roof schools equipped with modern teaching facilities in all the local governments and 192 wards in the state.

    In addition, he embarked on a N30-billion Benin water storm project which had effectively checked the menace of flooding in Benin City and its environs. His administration also built a state-of-the-art Benin Central Hospital, which was geared towards bolstering the health needs of the people of the state and the South-south zone.

    Even out of office, Oshiomhole is widely known as the father of modern Edo State. He constructed solid roads with walk ways and street lights across the state. He provided water especially in Edo central senatorial district, an area where it was earlier believed that it was difficult to extract water.

    Some politicians who started well did not end well when it has to do with enthroning a successor. But Oshiomhole is not in that category. He used his political foot soldiers – the good, the bad and the ugly – to deliver the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, who was the chairman of the state’s Economic and Strategic Team, as his successor.

    Despite several efforts by his adversaries to muddy his good name, Oshiomhole has continued to soar higher politically.  On June 23, 2018, he was unanimously elected as the national chair of the APC and  promised to embark on reforms that would shape the future of the party and he has not looked back since then.

    Observing that some powerful individuals within the APC had hijacked the party, Oshiomhole promised to return the party to the members who overwhelmingly voted for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. He commenced the direct primary mode of selecting candidates for the party so that all members of the party would be part of the process of electing their leaders unlike when it was done through few delegates.

    For the first time in the history of the politics of the nation, a presidential candidate of a party, in the person of President Muhammadu Buhari, emerged through direct primary election. That paid off as the president garnered overwhelming victory across the nation in the just-concluded presidential election. When he accepted the job of national chairman, Oshiomhole made it clear that the national working committee (NWC) would embark on reforms that might not be easy but that such reforms would make the party much stronger and people-oriented. He had pointedly indicated his readiness to wield the big stick where necessary.

    According to him, “It will no longer be business as usual in party affairs. From membership, discipline, funding, party management and respect for party constitution to conduct of party members in the arms of government; working with the president, we shall reinvent the ability to reward positive conduct and sanction recalcitrant, anti-party conduct. My task is to work with Mr. President, governors, leaders of the party at all levels and other stakeholders to pull our members together to build a strong and united party…”

    Oshiomhole has not deviated from his promises 10 months after he stepped in the saddle. For instance, through his reforms, ministers who were not at home with the party or their people were disqualified from participating in the primary election. Governors who played gods in their various states against the party’s interest, including alleged involvement in anti-party activities, were either suspended from the party or queried.

    For Oshiomhole’s NWC, supremacy of the party is paramount. Whether you like him or not, under his leadership, President Buhari was re-elected. The APC is on the path of nicking the leadership of the 9th National Assembly where it enjoys overwhelming majority just as it maintains a majority control in the states. Happy birthday to a dogged fighter and reformer!

     

    • Ebegbulem is Chief Press Secretary to Comrade Oshiomhole.

  • Oshiomhole behind my predicament, says Okorocha

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha on Monday said that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, is fast turning the party to regional minority party.

    If not checked, he said APC might have serious setback in the year 2023.

    Okorocha spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Asked to speak on the mistake of 2015 and the emergence of new leadership for the National Assembly, Okorocha said “I have been watching carefully what is happening in the National Assembly, it’s a very interesting drama. But all I ask them is that they should consider the South East in their calculations.

    “This nation will not be properly balanced if South East is not carried along properly in the affairs of the National Assembly. Nobody seems to be talking about the South East, it looks like the South East doesn’t have a place anymore, that is wrong, politically speaking and that is not good for APC.

    “Because there is going to be a bigger APC after President Muhammadu Buhari must have left the seat. My fear now is that APC might have a serious setback in 2023 because the Oshiomhole’s led executive is actually turning APC into a regional minority party which shouldn’t be because of his mistakes.

    “Right now in the whole South East, we don’t have an APC governor. So if there is any discussion in Nigeria now within the APC governors and President Muhammadu Buhari, there would be nobody from the South East.

    “This is what the APC Chairman has done in the South East. I think it’s a capital attempt to frustrate the efforts of the South East. But I appeal to every Nigerian to support the cause of the South East.

    “They shouldn’t think about giving South East, whatever position for giving sake. You can’t just wake up and give them any position. South East is a key primary zone in this country and if we don’t get the number one seat, we should get the number two seat.” he said

    He also pointed out that Oshiomhole was behind his predicament.

    According to him, INEC has no right to withhold his certificate of return.

    Asked why his party is not making any case for his certificate of return, he said “I won’t be surprise because, of course, you know the imposition we suffered in the party. When you say the party, you talk about the leadership of that party. I don’t have problem with the Working Committee of that party, I only have problem with the chairman of that party as he took it upon himself to do the wrong thing against me for just no cause and to fight a battle that he can never win.

    “No, he is the one that is behind all these impositions, can you imagine, as I speak to you the APC candidate in Imo State did not win a seat, APC does not have a councilor in Imo State now, it does not even have a House Member.

    “But the AA party has eight seats in the Imo State House of Assembly, two Federal House and they have one senator about to come to the Senate. This is why internal democracy must be respected, let the will of the people prevail rather than this imposition.

    “It is unfortunate what has happened in Imo State. At least, I have been vindicated for the fact that I said the APC candidate they are imposing on Imo people is not popular, he came from the opposition. When I was the leader of that party, when I was running the affairs of that party, we won 24 seats in the House of Assembly, we have governor, federal house members but today APC does not have because of imposition,” he said

    On the true position regarding his certificate of return, he said “As it stands today, I am just waiting patiently for the release of my certificate of return for election that I duly won, and I am hoping that INEC will release my certificate of return.

    “I have not contravened any section of the constitution and I have not done anything wrong not to be given my certificate. I pray and hope INEC would do what is just and what is right.”

    Asked if he discussed the issue with the President, Okorocha said “I don’t think that would have been necessary to do because, it’s a straight forward matter. INEC conducted election, results were declared – the returning officer declared the results and I won. Only, one week later to hear that somebody wrote a petition that he issued that declaration under duress. I say where? Was it in his private house or was it in the collation Centre?

    “If it is the collation, SSS were there, police were there, international observers, INEC officials and many others. So who actually put him under duress?” he queried

    “The man has not been able to say that. Nobody has ever sent a statement about that. But I think INEC would want to do the right thing very soon.

    “Now in the same way, the governorship candidate of PDP never won that election because the election flouted section 179 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which says that you must have the highest votes and you must have 25 percent in two third of the local governments.

    “Now, this gentleman who was declared the winner by the same INEC, had 135,000 votes from 24 local government but had over 130,000 votes from his three local governments. Of course you know, he didn’t win that election. But even at that, we had the highest mark, the Returning Officer of INEC was never patient to even calculate to know that it was 200,000 votes cancelled and there is supposed to be a rerun.

    “Also flouting that basic constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria which says you must have 25 percent in two-third, he doesn’t have it.

    He was confident that there would be

  • We won’t share power with PDP, says Oshiomhole

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Monday gave an insight into the 9th National Assembly, saying the party is not ready to share power with the opposition in the National Assembly.

    Oshiomhole said the party will not allow what happened in 2015 to reoccur in 2019 as the party will need a collaborative legislature to provide good governance to the people, adding that the leadership of the Assembly give all committee members critical positions as committee chairmen.

    He said the party leadership will carry out extensive consultation with the President and leadership of the party at all level to arrive at a zoning formula that will be acceptable to all members and the party.

    Details shortly…

  • ‘Our people voted to thank Oshiomhole, Alimekhena’

    A former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Edo State, Chief Lucky James, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all elections in Edo North because the people appreciated the development efforts of Senator Francis Alimekhena and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    James, who described Oshiomhole as the ‘shrine’ and Alimekhena ‘the priest’ of Edo North, said what reflected in the votes was a show of appreciation by the people.

    He said: “What you saw in the election was a thank you by the people to Oshiomhole and Senator Alimekhena.

    “What they found in Oshiomhole is what they found in Senator Alimekhena. He has an impact in all the 60 wards in the senatorial district.

    “The man is their sure hope for the light of today and tomorrow. All the candidates of APC in Edo North were supported by Alimekhena. He carried all of them along. A clear leader has arrived in Edo North. When he was in the Army, he was there for everybody.

    “Oshiomhole is the shrine and the Chief Priest who served the shrine well is Senator Alimekhena. That is why they called him the Oracle of Development. Oshiomhole started development of Edo North and Alimekhena continued.”

  • APC committee suspends members over ultimatum to Oshiomhole

    The Presidential Support Committee (PSC) has suspended three of its members over ultimatum given to Adam Oshiomhole, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to lift the suspension on Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

    Mr Chemberline Adiaso, the South East Zonal Coordinator of PSC, announced this in a statement on Friday in Umuahia.

    The suspended members are Mr Robert Ngwu (Director, Inter Party, South East); Mr Ejikeme Ugwu, National Director, Legal Matters and Mr Maxwell Okoye, Director, Political Matters, South East.

    He said the suspension letter was signed by Mr Gideon Sammani, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters and Facilitator of PSC.

    He said the members were suspended for breach of directives and regulations guiding the PSC.

    The APC National Working Committee (NWC) had suspended Gov. Okorocha over alleged anti-party activities.

    Adiaso said they were suspended over a publication entitled ‘Presidential Committee gives Oshiomhole 48 hours ultimatum to lift Okorocha’s suspension.

    According to him, their action is totally unacceptable and disrespectful to organs of the party which is against the laid down rules and regulations guiding the affairs of PSC and constitution of our party.

    “You are by this communication advised to retract this unauthorised publication within 72 hours, failing to do so will lead to expulsion,” the letter stated.

    NAN reports that the National Working Committee of the APC had suspended Gov. Okorocha over alleged anti-party activities.

  • Group gives Oshiomhole 48hrs to quash Okorocha’s suspension

    …wants Senate Presidency zoned to S/East

     

    A pro-Buhari group, the Presidential Support Committee (PSC), Southeast Zone, has handed a 48-hour ultimatum to the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rescind the suspension of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha from the party.

    The Committee at a Press Conference jointly addressed by the Director Inter-Party Affairs South East, Robert Ngwu, National Legal Adviser, Ejikeme Ugwu, and Director Political Matters, Comrade Maxwel Okoye in Owerri, the Imo State capital, noted that suspending a key stakeholder of the party like Okorocha, “did not speak well of the NWC and the Oshiomhole”.

    The group consequently threatened to embark on legal and mass action if the NWC of the party did not comply with the ultimatum by quashing the suspension.

    The Committee also made a case for the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the Southeast in view of the enormous support and the votes garnered by President Muhammadu Buhari from the zone in the February 23 Presidential election.

    They further observed that “the suspension is an orchestrated agenda to deny the Igbo presidency in 2023, knowing that Okorocha is one of the major contenders”.

    According to the Committee, “Okorocha’s suspension came to us as a rude shock. There is no way a cabal can suspend a major financier of the party. We give the NWC and the National Chairman 48 hours to reverse the suspension without delay or else we will resort to legal and mass action against the leadership of the APC. The suspension is aimed at disorganising Igbo ahead of 2023. Oshiomhole cannot wake up and suspend a major financier of the party. We plead with Buhari not to allow some few individuals to rubbish his friends because we know that Okorocha is a good friend of the President.

    The PSC, while congratulating Buhari on his victory at the February 23 polls, expressed happiness with the outcome, saying that “the results reflected the wishes of Nigerians, especially the people at Southeast as the President garnered more votes from the region in 2019 than in 2015”.

    They said, “We are happy with the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election as APC now has two senators, Okorocha and Orji Uzor Kalu. We are also happy with the votes the president got from the South east. The president got 400, 000 more votes in 2019 than in 2015, while the Peoples Democratic Party lost about 100,000 votes. The presidential support committee worked tirelessly to ensure that the president got enough votes.

  • Oshiomhole should be concerned about APC’s lost in Edo, says PDP

    n a swift reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, advised Oshiomhole to first address the many problems he has brought upon his party before dabbling in the affairs of Atiku and the PDP

    Ologbondiyan said, “Oshiomhole should be concerned about how he lost his Edo state to the PDP in the February 23 presidential election. What should be agitating their mind is how a national chairman of a ruling party who also has a sitting governor in place lost election in his state to the opposition.

    Read Also; God never destined Atiku to be President, says Oshiomhole

    “Here is a party national chairman that cannot even manage internal democracy within his party. He created problems for his candidates and his own party members were pelting him with water sachets and stones at campaign allies.

    “Oshiomhole should also tell the world on the platform of how many parties President Muhammadu Buhari contested the presidential election for 12 years before he finally won on the platform of the APC in 2015″.