The Director-General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, on Tuesday lamented what Adams Oshiomhole allegedly turned the ruling party into.
He said Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, now on suspension, “hawked the soul of the party to political buccaneers whose narrow interest” remains winning elections unfairly.
Lukman stated this in response to the events in Edo ahead of APC’s governorship election primary in the state slated to hold on June 22.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Tuesday dumped the party after the APC disqualified him from running for the party’s ticket in its forthcoming primary.
Many believe Obaseki was disqualified majorly due to his rift with Oshiomhole.
Unhappy with happenings in Edo State APC, Lukeman said in a statement:
“It is very difficult and challenging to come to terms with unfolding development in APC. The disconcerting reality of becoming clobbered into another undemocratic political platform, which is intolerant to basic tenets of free and fair contests is hard to admit,” he said.
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“Being troubled should have spurred us into some sober reflections with the objective of remedying the situation. Unfortunately, it would appear that we are more determined to reproduce all the obdurate painful experiences, every time we are faced with electoral contests.
“It was Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa. Now Edo and Ondo are basically on a roller-coaster with perhaps emerging with the same predictable outcome that consumed our electoral victories in Zamfara and Bayelsa states. Why should this be allowed to happen?
“It is clear that, APC leadership as currently constituted under the leadership of Comrade Oshiomhole is imprudent and cannot be entrusted with the task of leading the party.
“Comrade Oshiomhole’s NWC has hawked the soul of the party to political buccaneers whose narrow interest is just about unfairly winning elections.”
Further noting that Oshiomhole failed on his promises to provide a party register in all the state and set up a mechanism for conflict resolution in the party, Lukman added:
“APC does not belong to anybody. It is a product of sacrifice by leaders and members of our old legacy parties..
“Nobody should contemplate leaving the party on account of the rascality going on in the party under Comrade Oshiomhole’s leadership. All members of the party and lovers of democracy in Nigeria must rise against what is going on in APC. It is a struggle for the soul of APC.”
Meanwhile, the Appeal Court on Tuesday upheld the FCT High Court, Lugbe, ruling in March, 2020, which suspended Oshiomhole as the APC national chairman.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had already announced APC’s deputy national chairman (South), Abiola Ajimobi, as the party’s acting national chairman.
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