APC Upholds Suspension Of Edo Chair, Sets Up Panel To Reconcile Oshiomhole, Obaseki

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has upheld the suspension of the party’s Chairman in Edo State, Anslem Ojezua, by 11 of 16 members of the State Working Committee.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party said the SWC had fulfilled the required conditions after it reviewed the process that led to Ojezua’s suspension.

Issa-Onilu said: “The meeting of the NWC, which held today, at the Party’s National Secretariat received a notification of the suspension of the Edo APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezua by 11 of 16 members of the Edo Working Committee (SWC).

“We have reviewed the process they followed and conclude that they have fulfilled the required conditions.

“We therefore uphold the suspension of the Edo APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezua while we await the outcome of the fact-finding and reconciliation committee.”

According to Issa-Onilu, the NWC’s objective and cause of action is strictly to address the root causes of the disputations and reconcile all parties to make our great party even stronger.

The party’s spokesman said that the political development within the party ranks in Edo State was deeply disturbed by the recent turn of events.

He said: “We note that this is happening in spite of the various steps the party has taken to find an amicable resolution.

“We recall that party leaders such as the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF),  Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF),  Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, and other eminent party leaders, had all tried at various times to ensure that the issues do not escalate.

“Sadly, these interventions have not yielded the desirable results.

“However, the immediate concern of the NWC is how to ensure that unity returns to the ranks of the party in Edo.

“In achieving this, we have decided to constitute a high-power fact-finding and reconciliation committee of party leaders to meet with all disputing parties to ensure that all issues are addressed and resolved.”

The face-off between the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had polarised the state chapter of the party.