BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has joined the growing numbers of party men demanding the resignation of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman.
Odigie-Oyegun said the embattled Oshiomhole must take responsibility for the current turbulence raging within the governing party.
This is even as the former Edo State governor has exonerated himself from the calamity that befell the party in Zamfara and other states of the federation during the 2019 general elections.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Chief Ray Morphy, the former APC National Chairman said it is erroneous to blame him for all the crisis the party has found itself some mischief makers are currently doing.
Odigie-Oyegun was responding to allegations by six South-South APC State chairmen, who alleged the current challenges facing the party is a “landmine” left behind by his administration.
Absolving himself of any blame, Odigie-Oyegun accused his successor in office of lacking in leadership capacity and goodwill to move the party forward.
According to him; “Oshiomhole is failing because he lacks the temperament required to run a political party.
“He lacks the capacity to manage different interests and tendencies that constitute a political party.”
Odigie-Oyegun also said that Oshiomhole is sadly engaging “his mouth before engaging his mind, so he offends party members. So, how does that constitute traps by Oyegun.”
He said the Chairman’s poor handling of issues in the party has been amplified by the call from APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu that he should quit as the national Chairman for running things without recourse to its National Working Committee (NWC).
Noting that the action by Senator Shuaibu further confirms accusations against Oshiomhole and his attitude of acting contrary to the party’s interest and its collective decisions, Odigie-Oyegun said many party men are bitterly complaining about unfair treatment and injustice meted on them during the party’s last primaries ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“Only a bad carpenter quarrels with his tools. Indeed, Oshiomhole is degrading and de-marketing the party, rather than seek to bring more people on board, he is chasing people out of the party with his agbero style of engagement”, Odigie-Oyegun said.
Only recently, the APC Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Shuaibu has been up against Oshiomhole demanding his resignation for allegedly failing to add value to the party since coming on board as the Party National Chairman.
In a six page letter dated May 27, 2019 and addressed to Oshiomhole, the Party big shot accused him of “incompetence, high handedness and immaturity” in handling the party’s affairs.
The letter released to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, Senator Shuaibu said it is unfortunate that under Oshiomhole, the APC has lost its control of seven states and more may be coming in the days ahead
Also throwing their weight behind those seeking the head of Comrade Oshiomhole are former governor of old Sokoto State, Yahaya Abdulkarim and immediate past Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu.
