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Erstwhile National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has absolved himself of allegations of being behind the current travails of his successor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, describing the former labour leader as a master of the art of deception and author of confusion.
He described the allegations as “ludicrous and infantile” as well as “an attempt to dream up justifications for the failings of the party under Oshiomhole’s chairmanship”.
Since the build up to the June 2018 National Convention of the APC and the consequent emergence of Comrade Oshiomhole as APC Chair, Chief Odigie-Oyegun had often taken flaks for the numerous problems afflicting the party. While he maintained studied silence all through the period, his reaction on Sunday would be his first formal response to allegations of laying landmines for his successor.
Last Friday, South – South State Chairmen of the party had risen in defence of Comrade Oshiomhole, faulting the outburst of the party’s Deputy National Chairman, North, Sen. Lawali Shuaibu calling on the national chairman to resign.
The communique issued after their meeting on Friday in Abuja was jointly signed by the six South South APC State Chairmen including Hon. Ini T. Okopido (Akwa – Ibom), Hon. Amos Lalabunafa (Bayelsa State), Mr. John Ochalla (Cross River) and Prophet Jones Ode Erue (Delta State). Others were Barr. Anselm U. Ojezua (Edo State) and Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree (Rivers State).
They asserted that, “it was the landmines created by his predecessor who was bent on destroying the party before departing that fueled the unfortunate situation and wondered why Sen. Shuaibu is just realizing the issues he raised barely few days after the NWC set up a committee to look into petitions against highly placed party stakeholders who were glaringly involved in anti-party activities which was responsible for the loss of the number of states mentioned in his letter vis a – viz the depletion also in the numbers of elected Senators in the just concluded 2019 elections”.
However, in his statement on Sunday signed by his Public Affairs Adviser, Chief Ray Morphy, the former APC national chairman said Oshiomhole has continued to falter because he lacks the temperament required to lead a political party in the 21st Century.
“That statement of booby traps is ludicrous and infantile, an attempt to dream up justification for the failings of the party under Oshiomhole’s Chairmanship.
“Oshiomhole fails because he lacks the temperament that is required to run a political party. He lacks the capacity to manage the different interests and tendencies that constitute a political party”, said Odigie-Oyegun.
While accusing Oshiomhole of always acting according to his whims rather than the resolutions of the National Working Committee NWC, the statement equally defined the party chairman as one ruled by his tongue rather than his mind.
“He (Oshiomhole) engages his mouth before engaging his mind, so he offends party members; so, how does that constitute booby traps by Oyegun, the erstwhile chairman?
“Already, the Deputy National Chairman, North, has confirmed that Oshiomhole runs the party without recourse to the NWC. He acts in direct opposite of decisions taken by NWC. No minutes of NWC meetings which in any event take place outside the party Secretariat”, Odigie-Oyegun stated.
How APC crisis started
He also spoke of how Oshiomhole led the party into its current wave of crises, faulting the indecision of the Chairman with regards to adopting a uniform template for the conduct of the last primaries of the party before the general elections.
“How would you not have crisis in states with the confusion that Oshiomhole created when he gave the states freedom to choose their methods of choosing candidates for elections.
