The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has been suspended by a factional chairman of the party in Edo state, Barr. Anselm Ojezua over irrelevancy in ward, local government and state levels.
The factional chairman disclosed that they suspended Oshiomhole based on President Buhari’s advice that any member who is not relevant in his ward, local government area and state cannot hold office at the national level.
This disclosure was made on Monday at the party secretariat im Benin while addressing a world press conference and he requested that Oshiomhole should resign or be precluded from functioning in office while his suspension subsists.
While addressing newsmen, Ojezua traced the genesis of the crisis rocking the party to the conduct of primaries ahead of the last general elections and accused that Oshiomhole unilaterally and arbitrarily cancelled the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state.
He further added that what befell Zamfara and other states would have happened to Edo state if they had compiled with the directive of conducting fresh primaries in the state.
The factional chairman alleged that events have shown that there had been a grand plan to falsely create the impression of a crisis of leadership within the party in the state.
The plans were hatched and executed under the directive of Comrade Oshiomhole and executed through Oshiomhole’s acclaimed ‘infantry division’, he said.
Ojezua disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo chapter have concluded that Comrade Oshiomhole lacked the capacity, temperament and moral authority to lead the APC as National Chairman.
The factional chairman declared that the membership of Oshiomhole has been compromised and any action taken by Oshiomhole in the capacity of National Chairman including documents signed and meetings presided over by him might be futile.
“In any case, having been placed on suspension as member of the party, he has lost the legitimacy to act in any capacity in the party.
“We draw particular attention to Article 21 of the APC constitution which relates to discipline of party members and the powers of respective organs of the party to take disciplinary actions against members.
“In the circumstances, any action taken in the capacity of National Chairman including documents he signs and meetings he presides over May well be futile as his membership is already compromised.
“We are guided by the admonition of President Buhari who has consistently maintained that we must live up to the tenets and provisions of the constitution of the APC.
“Mr. President has also maintained, quite rightly that anybody who is not relevant in his Ward, Local Government Area and State cannot hold office at the National Level,” Ojezua said.
Speaking on the party’s chances in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Ojezua noted that Obaseki has what it takes to win, whereas, Oshiomhole parades a third rate army.
“What Oshiomhole has with him is a third rate army. That was the deficiency he meant to fill when he invited mercenary group to invade our party. I am happy our members resisted them.
“We are ready for the elections. Obaseki has done so much to justify the confidence the citizens reposed in him. It is the goodwill and prayers of the people. We will have success at the elections,” he said.