Edo 2020: Oshiomhole is no longer APC chairman – VON DG warns

••It appears the APC in Edo state is still shrouded in power intrigues as the primary election is approaching

••Osita Okechukwu, the Voice of Nigeria (VON) director-general, has warned that Adams Oshiomhole is no longer the party’s national chairman

••Okechukwu expressed concern that electoral process taken under Oshiomhol’s leadership will deny APC the governorship ticket in Edo state

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TRACKING___Ahead of the Edo state governorship election, Osita Okechukwu, the Voice of Nigeria (VON) director-general, has warned that Adams Oshiomhole is no longer the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman.

Okechukwu noted that since Oshiomhole is no longer the APC national chairman, any electoral process the APC takes under his leadership will deny the party governorship ticket in Edo state and the south-south by extension, Daily Sun reports.

The head of VON disclosed this in a statement, he titled “Beware: Comrade Adams Oshio is no longer a valid member of our great party, APC”.

Okechukwu cautioned that the party is facing the fiasco of Zamfara and Bayelsa states in the process leading to the Edo poll.

The VON DG expressing his concern explained that the former Edo state governor is no longer a member of the ruling party. He urged APC members and leaders to call him to order before a repeat of the fiasco in Zamfara or Bayelsa state.

He said: “For all his shenanigans of presiding over the affairs of our party, as a suspended member, may in the full glare of the law be adjudged null and void. For it is a truism that the Appeal Court has not delivered final judgment over his suspension.

“Can we imagine the likely scenario of a court case challenging the legality of APC’s documents and candidates submitted by a suspended chairman? To me, the lost of Edo State will mean that APC has no foothold in the whole South-South geopolitical zone. Just as the lost of Ondo State will mean dangerous penetration of PDP into our progressive base.”

Earlier, TrackNews Online reported that the ruling party insisted that it will not reverse its decision on the election of Edo state. The primary election of the party in Edo is slated for June 22 and the Oshiomhole-led national working committee had opted for direct mode of primary.

But in a counter move, Obaseki and his loyalists declared that the party would not adopt a direct primary election since the indirect alternative is also allowed by the constitution of the party.

Speaking on Saturday, June 6, APC through its spokesperson Lanre Issa-Onilu said there is no going back on the decision of the party’s national working committee on the state.

Issa-Onilu said that the party is not ready to bend the path as direct mode of primary will be used for the guber election in the state.

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In other news, the crisis bedevilling the Edo chapter of APC has put the presidency in dilemma following a clear indication that Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki are not ready to bury the hatchet.

According to the emerging report, the presidency has been thrown in a difficulty on whether to compel the party’s NCW to stop with the direct approach or leave Obaseki to his fate alongside those who have indicated interest in becoming the governor of the state.