Oshiomhole’s Suspension: Obaseki may return to APC – Governor’s spokesperson
NEWS DIGEST – With the Court of Appeal upholding the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), it is possible for the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to return to the party, his spokesperson has said.
Mr Obaseki, Tuesday, announced his resignation from the APC after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa.
Mr Obaseki’s deputy, Philip Shaibu, who also resigned from the APC, was seen in photos and videos released by the Edo Government House, removing APC flag from his office.
The governor’s resignation followed his disqualification by the APC from contesting the party governorship primary in Edo State which is scheduled to hold on June 22, five days from now.
After the latest court ruling on Mr Oshiomhole, the APC appointed the deputy national chairman, Abiola Ajimobi, a former governor of Oyo State, as acting national chairman. But Mr Ajimobi is believed to be very ill and hospitalised.
Another twist was added to the APC crisis when the deputy national secretary of the APC, Victor Gaidom, declared himself the acting national chairman of the party, Wednesday.
He announced the cancellation of the screening which led to Governor Obaseki’s disqualification.
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“Our party, the All Progressives Congress, will no longer allow local quests for the control of power to influence our decisions. As your Acting National Chairman and presiding officer in the NWC, we therefore cancel the decision of the Screening and Appeal Committees of the former chairman of the party on the Edo primaries,” Mr Gaidom told journalists in Abuja.
Following Mr Gaidom’s pronouncement, Premium Times asked Mr Obaseki’s spokesperson, Crusoe Osagie, if the governor would be willing to return to the APC.
“Honestly, I have not talked with my boss yet, (but) I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Mr Osagie said, Wednesday afternoon.
“With all intent and purpose, if you look at the reasons my boss gave for his being frustrated out of the party, it all centred on Oshiomhole and his high-handedness, tyrannical approach to managing the party, tendency to want to destroy the fortune of the party,” he said.
“With the court removing Oshiomhole, I believe there’s a possibility. It’s possible, after all he has not moved into any other party yet.”
Mr Osagie said the governor has never had any problem with APC as a party.
Mr Obaseki may still have to contend with some forces in APC if he returns to the party since Mr Oshiomhole may not have acted alone in the party’s decisions against the governor, Premium Times told Mr Osagie.
“Oshiomhole was alone,” he responded. “You will soon see in the coming days that what you call people loyal to Oshiomhole would soon fizzle out.”
Mr Osagie said the Court of Appeal ruling is rested upon the suspension of Mr Oshiomhole in his ward in Edo State several months ago.
“That tells you that everything that Oshiomhole has done since when he was suspended from his ward till now is invalid,” he added.
Premium Times asked Mr Osagie what would happen between the governor and those he may have given assurance he would be joining them in their party.
“I can tell you he has not given anybody any assurance that he is going into any particular party,” the governor’s spokesperson said.
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