Anti-party: Edo APC suspends Obaseki, 2 others

Leaders and critical stakeholders of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, announced the suspension of Governor Godwin Obaseki, from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

Also suspended along with the governor were his deputy, Philip Shaibu and Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie.

Addressing party faithful at a World Press conference in Benin, former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ikhariale, who spoke on behalf of party leaders and members across the state, reeled out a litany of wrong-doings against the Obaseki administration, saying the governor has deviated from the APC manifesto.

The leaders, therefore, apologised to Edo people for Obaseki’s alleged maladministration.

In his reaction, Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said the governor remained focussed in governing the state.

“What they did is not known to the party. Firstly, some members in that meeting which was held in the house of an individual is not a party meeting, they should have held the meeting in the party secretariat if it was real. Some of them have been suspended from the party so they do not have the right to do what they did,” he said.

Meanwhile, the executive council of the Edo State chapter of the party has ratified the suspension of APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

The decision was reached at an enlarged meeting of the council and other party chieftains with Governor Obaseki, in Benin, yesterday.

At the meeting, the leaders said Oshiomhole’s suspension became necessary because he has been deploying divisive tactics to cause disharmony in the party in collaboration with a proscribed group, Edo Peoples Movement (EPM).

While addressing APC leaders from the 18 local government areas, Anslem Ojezua, traced the genesis of the crisis to the primary election in 2018.

“The APC council chairmen have found out that Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in the party in Edo and following the findings, lost confidence in the leadership of the national chairman by passing a vote of no confidence in him.

“Considering the stand of these chairmen and also based on the report from organs of the party, we affirmed Oshiomhole’s suspension from APC in Edo State,” he said.

A leader of the APC in Ovia South West LGA council, Samuel Ekeneza, who moved the motion for the ratification of Oshiomhole’s suspension, said the party remains supreme as no individual is bigger than the political party.

The motion for the ratification was supported by a leader of the APC in Esan Central council, Osediamen Oriaifoh.