The national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday turned to battleground as protesters demanding for the sack of the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, ahead of Thursday National Caucus meeting and Friday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting grounded the complex.
The protesters, which conducted themselves in a peaceful manner, claimed that the national chairman, expected to uphold the sanctity of the constitution, has allegedly worked against it, stressing that it has led to division in the party, especially in Edo state.
They, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari, former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other national leaders of APC to prevail on Oshiomhole to honourably resign his position as as the national chairman.
Displaying big banners with various inscriptions, ‘Oshiomhole is a dictatorship, Oshiomhole has killed APC, Oshiomhole must go’, the protesters claimed that he has factionalises the parry.
One of the leaders of the angry protesters, Iyoha Toni Osakbovo, from Edo state, said that the protest is about saving the soul of the APC as a national party.
“I am from Edo state and I am a member of APC Patriotic Stakeholders Forum. We have come to save our party, the person that we gave the mantle to uphold our constitution, we have realised that he is the person attacking the constitution.
“He sworn to protect our great party but so far what we have seen is not what is working. He is the person attacking the constitution, he has factionalised the party in our state, Edo state. As I’m talking to you now he has created a faction in the party.
“We are begging Mr. President that by this motion I am going to move now to please safe this party because Adams Oshiomhole came to meet this party, there was a national chairman before Oshiomhole became chairman. We do not see reason why Adams Oshiomhole will destroy this party.
“We are begging the president to come to our aid because the person that is supposed to uphold the constitution is now the person that is destroying the constitution. Our constitution is very clear, the National Working Committee (NWC) has no disciplinary power, but under Oshiomhole, the NWC is usurping the power of NEC.
“There is nowhere in the constitution that says NWC has disciplinary power, but how come under Oshiomhole the issues are now different? So, we are begging the President, it is time for us to start healing, enough of fighting,” the protesters demanded. (The Sun)
