APC NEC members join bandwagon, call for Oshiomhole’s resignation

The calls for removal of Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) increased on Friday, as some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party joined in.

The NEC numbering 43, were aggrieved over Oshiomhole’s leadership style. They also accused him of abruptly ending the NEC meeting on Friday in Abuja.

Recall that the Edo State chapter of the party had suspended Oshiomhole, over his alleged role in the crisis rocking the party in the state. The decision, according to a statement by the State Chairman, Aslem Ojezua, and Assistant State Secretary, Ikuenobe Anthony, followed the vote of no confidence passed on Comrade Oshiomhole by the chairmen of the APC in the 18 local government areas of the state.

A factional group of the APC had also recently taken to the streets of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, demanding for the resignation of Oshiomhole, even as another group, under the aegis of ‘APC Patriotic Stakeholders’ Forum,’ marched to the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Thursday to call for his sacking.
In the latest development, Zamfara State APC chairman, Lawal Liman, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved NEC members told newsmen at a press briefing on Friday that most of the goodwill APC enjoyed from Nigerians at inception had declined under Oshiomhole.

“The APC was founded as a platform for the progressives in Nigeria in 2014, with ‘change’ as the slogan of the party.

“The party was positively embraced by the citizens of Nigeria, culminating in record-breaking victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the first opposition leader to defeat an incumbent President.

“Most of the goodwill acquired by the party, by reasons of its religious adherence to the provisions of its constitution and the tenets of internal democratic practices have taken a downturn, principally due to dictatorial and despotic tendencies of the national chairman, who has usurped the powers of the National Executive Committee of the party.

“This may have been responsible for the admonition of Mr President who insisted that the party organs, at the state, LGA and ward levels must be strengthened and accorded due respect with regards to the powers and responsibilities conferred on them by the constitution of the party.

“Most, unfortunately, the facade presented by the national chairman, today, at a National Executive Committee meeting, leaves much to be desired. He completely ignored Mr President’s advice and rather defied all known rules for meetings by precluding contributions from members and ending the meeting abruptly, without achieving anything. This is most unfortunate and undesirable.

“Arising from the foregoing and having regards to the huge responsibilities bestowed on us as officers of the party and in the overriding interest of our members, we are left with no option but to demand that Adams Oshiomhole resign his position as national chairman, in order to stem the slide and provide an enabling environment for genuine healing, reconciliation and practice of true democracy, within the party across the country,” he said.

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The NEC members who signed that Oshiomhole should be removed included Bala Kangiwa (Kebbi Chairman), Habibi Sara (Jigawa Chairman), Ade Adetimehin (Ondo Chairman), Abdullahi Abbas (Kano Chairman), Abba Yaro (Benue Chairman), Omotoso Paul (Ekiti) and Mohammed Iman (Niger Chairman).

They also included Anslem Ojezua (Edo Chairman), Philips Shekwo (Nasarawa Chairman), Air Com Ikeda (Kaduna Chairman), Lakep Dabah (Plateau Chairman), Shitu Shitu (Katsina Chairman), Isah Acida (Sokoto) and Zonal Youth Leader (South West), Lawal Bolade.

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