June 21, 2020

Edo Guber Crisis: Oyegun demands sack of APC NWC members •Says party, a threat to democracy

By TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie Oyegun, has called for the dissolution of the members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.

He made the call in a press statement at the weekend.

Three national chairmen emerged from the fractured national working committee during the week, following the ouster of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by a Court Appeal in Abuja.

Chief Oyegun in the statement titled, ‘Before it is too late,’ asked President Muhammadu Buhari to seize the initiative to convene a meeting of a superior organ of the party, National Executive Committee to resolve the ongoing leadership tussle which he noted was an embarrassment to the founding fathers of the party and all lovers of democracy.

Oyegun further argued that the NEC to be convened must set machinery in motion for another gathering of the highest organ of the party, the National Convention, to ratify an interim management team to succeed the present national working committee.

He said:” As a major stakeholder and as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, I have made various efforts to add my voice to those of several other well-meaning leaders of the party, in ensuring that the ideals and principles that we fought for are not completely thrown overboard. However, I have come to realize that those who feel more entitled to the party are no longer capable of hearing alternative viewpoints other than those counselled by their ego and their self-serving interests, which they have promoted over all other considerations, including that of common decency. Yet, no political party will survive for long, which is unwilling to accommodate competing ideas and provide the space for healthy debates.

“This statement is, therefore, a clarion call to leaders of the party, particularly the Governors and Mr President to urgently bring a stop to the disgraceful and humiliating charade occurring within the National Secretariat of our great party. There is a most urgent need for the party NEC to meet and institute for the party a Caretaker Committee (even if we have to invoke the doctrine of necessity), who’s main responsibility will be to arrange for a special National Convention. The All Progressives Congress was built on the blood and sweat of Nigerians, young and old, too numerous to count, who were willing to give everything in the service of progressive politics.

“We must not allow their great sacrifices to go in vain. Today, almost every member of the party feels a deep sense of alienation and dissatisfaction with the state of the party. It hurts deeply to see how hollow it now rings to mention our party and “change” together. The time to act is now, before it is too late.”

The former APC national chairman, who incidentally is from Edo state, further submitted that the manner the leadership of the party under the erstwhile national chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole, handled the screening of aspirants ahead the party primary in Edo state has exposed the party as having no value for internal democracy and by extension, a threat to the nation democracy, which he noted was fought for and earned with sweat and blood of many Nigerians.

“As former National Chairman of the party, I remain proud of the great strides of our government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. However, I am afraid to note that the legacy of a government is defined mostly by its politics rather than its achievements in other areas, no matter how lofty those achievements are. Our recent history bears enough testimony to this reality. The military government of President Ibrahim Babangida is today remembered mainly for the June 12, 1993 elections and its aftermath.

Our own political party, the APC, is fast becoming the single most dangerous threat to the legacy of our government and our President.

“In the last few months, we have watched how the party has brazenly subverted its own principles of internal democracy and flagrant violation of every rule of decent political engagement in a manner that makes everyone associated with its promise of change liable to be accused of either hypocrisy or apostasy.” (Nigeria Tribune)