Oshiomole disowns aide’s comments on removal plot

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said he did not approve the statement issued on his behalf by his media aide which accused some unnamed aggrieved members of the party of plotting a vote of no confidence on him.

Oshiomole’s media aide, Simon Egbebulem on Sunday 21 October stated that some members who were not happy with the reforms being carried out within the party by the current National Working Committee were plotting Oshiomhole’s removal as Chairman.

“These influential stakeholders, according to the grapevine, have begun to mobilise to pass a no-confidence vote in the leadership of Oshiomhole, having failed to impose their preferred candidates on the party in the nomination process,” Oshiomole’s media aide Simon Egbebulem said on Sunday.

Barely 24 hours after Egbebulem statement, Oshiomhole, through the same spokesman, said the Sunday statement did not mirror the reality in the party.

Egbebulem who is Oshiomhole’s Chief Press Secretary has also apologised for issuing the statement without the permission his principal.

“On Sunday, October 21, 2018, I issued a statement on alleged plans by some stakeholders to move against the leadership of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led All Progressives Congress (APC),” Oshiomole’s media aide Egbebulem said in a statement.

But Egbebulem initial statement might have come against the background of the rumblings in the party.

At least three state governors are miffed by the conduct of the party’s primaries in their states. The rancour-filled primaries in Zamfara saw the Independent National Electoral Commission banning the APC from presenting any candidate in the next state for the 2019 general elections.

In Ogun State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun is at the loggerheads with the party over the emergence of Dapo Abiodun as the party’s governorship candidate instead of his anointed choice of successor Adekunle Akinlade. States like Rivers. Kaduna, Adamawa and Ondo have ongoing crises that some stakeholders involved said have not been properly handled by the party leadership.

In the last few weeks, there have been protests against Oshiomhole and the party hierarchy because of the misgivings.

Early this month, Nigerian First Lady Aisha Buhari criticised the party for removing some aspirants’ names from the lists of persons to contest election primaries.

Mrs Buhari said the party primaries were against the tenets of the party such that it would not be difficult to dissociate her from the process.

“Given this development one will not hesitate than dissociate from such unfairness, be neutral, and speak for the voiceless,” Buhari said.

In spite of these, Egbebulem said in his latest statement that his principal’s relationship with different blocs in the party was cordial and he’s “busy giving leadership” as the party faces its toughest test yet in 2019.

“As APC Chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole is enjoying the maximum support of stakeholders of the great party as shown by the reality on the ground.”