Oshiomhole threatens non-APC politicians campaigning with Buhari’s pictures

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to take up issues with politicians and political parties using the photographs of President Muhammadu Buhari to campaign on other political platforms.

The National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole during a TV programme, “The Platform” on Saturday while reacting to the crisis in Ogun and Imo states, said the party will not condone such activities.

Governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and Imo states, whose preferred candidates failed to secure the party’s gubernatorial ticket, have pledged their support for Buhari but have openly said they would work against the party’s candidates in their respective states.

Their preferred candidates had since moved to other political parties to actualise their ambition while also pledging to work for the re election of President Buhari.

Oshiomhole said, “If there is a person, including a governor, who wants to sell a distorted message, the party will stop him. That is the truth. We have also seen some situations which we are trying to draw the attention of INEC to as the regulator of political parties.

“You cannot have anyone putting the portrait of President Muhammadu Buhari as President and his own portrait as the governorship candidate on the platform of a political party that is not known to the people.”

He said the APC would write a letter of complaint to the Independent National Electoral Commission on the matter.

Oshiomhole also expressed disappointment that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara were yet to step down despite defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party.

He, however, said the party was no longer interested in removing the leadership of the National Assembly.

In another development, the newly constituted APC caretaker committee in Ogun State has said it will join issues with Amosun.

Following the dissolution of the state excos of the APC in Ogun and Imo state over anti party activities by Amosun and Okorocha, the APC National Working Committee had set up a caretaker committee headed by Chief Yemi Sanusi with Mr Ayobami Olubori the secretary and Mr Tunde Oladunjoye named its publicity secretary, to oversee the affairs of the party in the state.

But Amosun responded that the state executives remained undissolved and will complete their tenure in another four years.

However, Oladunjoye in a statement, said both the electoral law and the party constitution recognised only one APC.

Read also: OGUN APC EXCO DISSOLUTION: Amosun draws battle line with Oshiomhole

The statement said, “We are all members of the same house under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, we will renew, realign, and rebuild our party for total victory at the 2019 polls, by God’s grace”.

Meanwhile, Okorocha has said he does not take the national chairman of the APC seriously again.

Okorocha, who was reacting to the statements made against him by Oshiomhole during a rally in Owerri on Friday, said he would not be distracted by Oshiomhole from ensuring victory for Buhari in 2019.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, insisted that the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, did not have the capacity to garner the kind of support that would make him win the governorship election next year.

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