By Dayo Omoogun
As the APC internal crisis gets messier, the new party executive in the state led by Col Imuse(rtd) has announced the suspension
of the state Governor Godwin Obaseki, his deputy Philip Shuaibu, the Secretary to the State government Osarodion Ogie and the former Chairman of the party in the state Anselm Ojezua. It will be recalled that the now suspended Ojezua had on Tuesday announced the suspension of the National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole from the party.
At the press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday which was attended by the state secretary Lawrence Okah, APC Vice Chairman for Edo South Benson Edomsowan, state Treasurer, Saliu Momoh, the state Woman Leader, Betty Okoebo Benson and others, Imuse said Anselm Ojezua had been suspended from office at the time he made the announcement and therefore did not have such powers. He dismissed the group which announced the suspension of Oshiomhole as an unknown party organ.
“We note with grave concern a resolution by an unknown organ of APC in Edo State claiming to have passed a vote of no confidence on the National Chairman Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and suspending him from the Party. This development would have been laughable if it did not have serious implications for the overall integrity of our Party. Their decision is unconstitutional and it is unheard of, for a lower level Party hierarchy official to want to take disciplinary action against an official or organ on a higher level. We therefore pass a vote of implicit confidence on the National Chairman Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress APC.”
He listed some of the sins of the governor to include : anti- party activities, support and promotion of thuggery and violence.Furthermore Imuse said; “In light of the foregoing, it has become obvious that Mr. Obaseki has become a liability to the All Progressives Congress APC. We cannot longer fold our arms and watch him drag our collective political fortunes into the abyss in his desperate bid to destroy the Party. The only option is to protect the interest of all stakeholders who have labored assiduously to build up the Party.
“Consequently, we hereby pass a vote of no confidence on Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and his leadership team comprising Hon. Phillip Shaibu (Dep. Governor) and Osarodion Ogie (Secretary to Government) and they are hereby suspended from the Party.”
He also used the opportunity to restore Lawrence Okah who had previously been suspended by the Ojezua leadership as the secretary of the party in the state. He said “the purported suspension of Mr. Lawrence Okah and his subsequent removal from office is a nullity and we hereby pass a vote of implicit confidence on him and so he remains the State secretary of All Progressives Congress APC, Edo State Chapter”.