Group demands Oshiomhole’s resignation over Bayelsa APC travail, others

The Edo Transformation League (ETL) yesterday asked the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole to take responsibility for the party’s defeat in Bayelsa State having taken glory for the party’s victory in the governorship poll.

It attributed the party’s loss at the Supreme Court to Oshiomhole’s lack of due diligence in under-studying documents filed by APC candidates for the election.

According to the group, the submission of candidates’ documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a basic requirement for a vital electoral contest.

The Supreme Court had sacked the APC Governor-elect, David Lyon over discrepancies in his deputy’s academic qualification he submitted to INEC.

However, the ETL in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Broderick Owamagbe Enabulele, backed calls for Oshiomhole’s resignation over the court verdict.

He said the group was also in support of former governorship aspirant in Edo State, Peter Esele’s call on Oshiomhole to step down as the party’s National Chairman.

“It is not enough for political parasites to hide under pseudonyms to attack those who have the option to be mute as cowards, while APC keeps cascading into a pitiable pitfall.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that Peter Esele is one of Nigeria’s quintessential statesmen of Edo State extraction, who has paid his dues for the party.

“Every reputable Edo State socio-political groups unreservedly want Oshiomhole removed from the office of APC National Chairman.

“Peter Esele’s position on his (Oshiomhole’s) removal is not different from what most eminent Nigerians of APC stock have expressed including former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal.

“Esele is Oshiomhole’s own man and not one of those seeking godson baptism from Oshiomhole self-serving godfatherism enterprise.

“His electoral campaign was ideologically driven, a pro-masses campaign, one that sought to liberate Edo from the cacophony of state-sponsored prevaricators, and re-enact the good old days of Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia and Professor Ambrose Ali.”