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Edo APC Crisis Worsens as Faction Suspends Oshiomhole
There was confusion in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Tuesday, as the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress announced the suspension of its chairman, Anselm Ojezua.
Shortly after the announcement, another message emerged from the Government House announcing the removal of the state secretary, Lawrence Okah and the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
It was gathered that the sacking of Ojezua caught the state government unawares, forcing Governor Godwin Obaseki to summon an emergency meeting of party leaders in the state.
At the end of the meeting, the ruling party announced the suspension of Okah and Oshiomhole, having passed a vote of no confidence on them.
Earlier in the day, the State Working Committee of the APC had passed a vote of no confidence in Ojezua. Eleven out of the 16-member SWC voted against him during their meeting.
Consequently, Col. David Imoise (retd.) was elected to oversee the affairs of the party pending when “allegations of anti-party activities levelled against Ojezua are investigated.”
According to a statement by Okah, the change in leadership has been communicated to the party’s National Working Committee.
But a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said it was Okah that was sacked from office.
“The Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has removed the State Secretary of the party, Mr Lawrence Okah,” Osagie said.
He said the party also passed a vote of confidence in Ojezua’s leadership.
“This is coming as party chairmen across the 18 local government areas of the state passed a vote of no confidence in the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole,” he added.
Also, briefing journalists after a meeting of the party’s executive committee earlier, the state APC deputy chairman, Kenneth Asekomhe, said, “After the meeting of the State Executive Committee, in pursuant of Article 17, Section 5 of the APC constitution of 2014, as amended, we have passed a vote of no confidence in the state secretary of the APC, Mr Lawrence Okah. He is hereby removed from office.
“The committee also passed a vote of confidence in the state chairman of the APC, Mr Anselm Ojezua.”
The APC chairmen in the 18 local governments of the state also reaffirmed their support for the second term bid of Obaseki.
The APC Chairman in Esan Central LGA and Secretary, Edo State APC Chairmen Forum, Mike Anakaso, said the chairmen passed a vote of no confidence in Oshiomhole for his role in trying to disintegrate the party in the state.
The state APC auditor, Timothy Osadolor, and the financial secretary, Golda Oribhabor-Onwuka, distanced themselves from a document purporting to remove the state chairman.
Speaking at the party’s secretariat, the two party officials explained that they were taken in a commando-like style to the residence of the suspended secretary and forced to sign some documents.
Osadolor said, “We were taken in a commando-like style to the house of the state secretary, where I was forced to sign the documents purportedly removing Anslem Ojezua.
“There were just eight or nine signatures on the document. My name was badly spelt. I didn’t draw their attention to it but had to play along by signing the document with a fake signature.”
But some local government chairmen of the Edo APC described as untrue the purported vote of no confidence passed in Oshiomhole.
A statement by the leaders of the chairmen and chairman of the party in Etsako West, Mr Ibrahim Akokia, Suleman Bagudu (Etsako Central) and Lugard Alukpe (Owan West) said, “We are the chairmen of the party in the 18 LGAs and we are not aware of the meeting where a vote of no confidence was passed in the national chairman of our party, Oshiomhole, who is doing very well.
“Rather, we are aware that majority of the chairmen have suffered intimidation and harassment in the hands of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.
“Therefore, we chairmen have passed a vote of no confidence in Governor Obaseki, and the suspended state chairman of the party, Anslem Ojezua. They have not only failed the party, but the people of the state.”
They said from the statements of some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, Obaseki and Ojezua had been involved in anti-party activities and they lacked the moral rights to remain in the party.
They added, “Oshiomhole remains our leader and we pass vote of confidence in his leadership.
“We call on the National Working Committee of the party to expel Obaseki from the APC because he is on a mission to destroy the APC in Edo State, but we will resist it.
Meanwhile, the state PDP on Tuesday announced the exclusion of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu from all party activities with immediate effect.
Ize-Iyamu had been reported to be making moves to join the APC.
A statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, read,”In the last few days, the Edo PDP has been inundated with calls and enquiries regarding the stories trending both in the print and social media as it concerns one of our leaders, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
“As a result of the ‘uneasy quiet’ from our dear pastor and the impression our silence will send to our teeming supporters and followers, the Edo PDP is left with no option but to announce the exclusion of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu from all the PDP-related activities with immediate effect, until he acknowledges, accepts and addresses the issue of his defection to the APC.”
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has picked former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Announcing the decision, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Amaechi’s emergence followed broad consultations within the party and reflected his strong performance as runner-up in the party’s presidential primaries as well as his track records of service to his state and the country.
According to the ADC, Amaechi’s extensive experience across both the legislative and executive arms of government, as former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, and former Minister of Transportation, makes him uniquely qualified to complement Atiku’s leadership, strengthen the party’s national appeal, and bolster its campaign to offer Nigerians an experienced and credible alternative ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The party said the choice of Amaechi underscores its commitment to presenting a leadership team with proven governance experience and national appeal as it prepares for the 2027 presidential contest.
ThisDay
