APC south-south chairmen pass vote of confidence on Oshiomhole

State Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the South-South geo-political zone have thrown their weight behind the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Recall that the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu had last week demanded Oshiomhole’s resignation in an open letter.

However, the chairmen accused Shuaibu of trying to cause disaffection within the party.

Rising from an emergency meeting in Abuja, the state Chairmen expressed confidence in the leadership of Oshiomhole, saying allegations of high handedness level against Oshiomhole by his deputy were not true and baseless.

In a statement jointly signed by the six (6) South – South APC State Chairmen, they said it was unfortunate Shuaibu was just realising the problems in the party few days after the party set up a committee to look into cases of anti-party activities against some party members.

Those who signed the communiqué include Hon. Ini T. Okopido (Akwa – Ibom), Hon. Amos Lalabunafa (Bayelsa), John Ochalla (Cross Rivers), Prophet Jones Ode Erue (Delta), Barr. Aslem U. Ojezua (Edo) and Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree (Rivers)

They faulted the public outburst of Shuaibu who they described as a senior party official who ought to be well acquainted with the provisions of the party’s constitution regarding how to channel perceived grievances if any exist.

They stressed: “The Deputy National Chairman North merely expressed his personal opinion on perceived issues which is not a reflection of the views of the generality of party stakeholders who are yet to find anything untoward in the stewardship of the party’s National Chairman His Excellency, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.”

The chairmen further disagreed with Shuaibu’s claims that the actions of the National Chairman were responsible for multiplicity of court cases bedeviling various chapters of the party.

Rather they asserted it was the landmines created by his predecessor who was bent on destroying the party before departing that fueled the unfortunate situation and wondered why Shuaibu is just realising the issues he raised barely few days after the NWC set up a committee to look into petitions against highly placed party stakeholders glaringly involved in anti-party activities, which was responsible for the loss of the number of states mentioned in his letter vis a – viz the depletion also in the numbers of elected Senators in the just concluded 2019 elections.

They dismissed the allegations of high-handedness against the National Chairman with particular reference to the altering of National Working Committee decisions as a veil plot to crucify the National Chairman over his uncompromising stance on truth against elements bent on destroying the party from within.

They, however, urged for restraint on the part of Shuaibu asking him to employ more civilized ways of expressing whatever private grievance he has against the National Chairman instead of playing to the gallery by granting interviews to launch unprovoked attacks on the National Chairman and by extension, the very party he claims to love.

They wondered whose interest the media outburst seeks to serve and its original intention stating unequivocally that, the National Chairman cannot be removed on the pages of newspapers because the constitution of the party which Senator Lawal Shuaibu subscribed to, as a member of the NWC, clearly guarantees the tenure of office of the party’s National Chairman and the processes of removing him from office.

They gave Shuaibu seven days to apologise to the National Chairman in order not to receive the wrath of party members in the South South.

They also frowned at the intermittent and most unjustifiable attacks on the National Chairman who have maintained unblemished records since joining active politics and has untiredlessly ensured internal democratic norms are entrenched in the party since his assumption of office.

The chairmen observed what the Deputy National Chairman , North have done is tantamount to creating disaffection amongst party faithfuls, insisting that such action was very offensive to the constitution of our great party.

The chairman passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman and vowed to resist any attempt to blackmail him out of office for standing against injustice that has hitherto been the hallmark of his predecessor which was the only legacy he left behind.