Akeredolu hits Oshiomhole hard, says he’s incompetent, with penchant for banditry, impunity

Knocks upon knocks coming the way of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, seem to have become an everyday thing following the outcome of the recent party primaries.

The Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu added his voice to the disenchantments saying events that took place during the party’s primaries have exposed not “only the sheer incompetence” of the APC national chairman, but more painfully, his “shocking liking of banditry and impunity”.

Akeredolu was responding to allegation that he, in cahoots with “conservative” governors of the party are working to remove the party’s national chairman, Oshiomhole.

A group of party members, who staged a solidarity protest for Oshiomhole at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja on Tuesday, accused Akeredolu of not just working to see Oshiomhole removed, but also to see that Buhari loses election in Ondo State in 2019.

But in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Special Duties and Strategy, Doyin Odebowale, Akeredolu denied involvement in any attempt to remove the former Edo State governor and reaffirmed his total commitment to Buhari’s re-election bid.

He however noted that it was not wrong for people to protest the perceived impunity of the Oshiomhole-led national leadership of the party during the primaries, adding that recent events in APC had justified his opposition to the former Edo State governor’s election as APC chairman.

The statement said, “There is no truth in the whole contrivance. The governor has been pre-occupied with matters of governance in Ondo State for which he was elected.”

He recalled his intervention as Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, in the cause of the “progressives”, including in restoring Oshiomhole’s stolen mandate.

The statement read further, “The governor had expressed preference for someone else during the contest for the office of the chairman of the party. He did not hide his opposition to Oshiomhole’s aspiration for the simple reason that the leadership of a party, especially the one just emerging from a merger, should distance itself from egregious and inherently destructive narcissism.

“Recent events seem to justify this position as prescient. Only sycophants will fail to see the obvious. Mr President would not have expressed worries over the crises in the party if everything had gone on smoothly.

“The handlers of the mob strive in vain to set the President against certain government functionaries considered antagonistic to their pernicious scheme for dominance.

“Their devious plot to outsmart those perceived as opposing their expansionist tendency compelled them to take desperate measures. Anyone endowed with an attitude of sobriety should have seen the need for calm.

“Rather than retrace their steps and display genuine contrition, their desperation pushes them to embrace measures capable of not only hurting the party, but, regrettably, the president, whom they pretend to love so much.”

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Akeredolu noting that it would be ludicrous that anyone would consider him as a conservative, said: “Those who collected varying and humongous amounts as fees from aspirants during the last grandiose charade called primaries and submitted names dictated to them by a cabal, notorious for capturing political power for unbridled pillage, should be bold to explain their real motives to the people. They should be honest enough to deal with the issues,” the statement added.

“Events, which took place across the country during the political charade, have exposed not only sheer incompetence on the part of the national leadership of the party, but painfully, it has revealed a shocking proclivity towards banditry and impunity.

“It is becoming clear, increasingly, that party leadership at that level is seriously challenged in terms of capacity for serious engagements.

“Arakunrin Akeredolu, SAN, does not need to move from ‘North’ to ‘South’ to collect signatures from victims of electoral heist. He was in Ondo State throughout last week. He was at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, to deliver a lecture on restructuring a few days ago. He is at presently in Canada on a working visit.

READ MORE: VON DG sustains call for Oshiomhole’s resignation, says he’s suffering from ‘ITK’

“Only the mob and their hirers can explain the imagined movement from North to South. However, those who feel aggrieved reserve the right to demand that justice be done. If this includes the removal of Mr. Oshiomole, so be it.

“May we seize this opportunity to reiterate the fact that the people of Ondo State are favourably disposed to the second term bid of Mr. President. Our people are unique; they are unwavering in their support for justice. They alone determine what is in their best interest at all times. The President is loved by the people of Ondo State.

“All of us shall work, assiduously, for the President’s victory at the polls next year. We do not need any band of mendicants ready for hire to remind us of this sacred patriotic duty.”

 

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