APC crisis deepens as aggrieved NEC members insist Oshiomhole must resign

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new turn as some aggrieved members of the party’s national executive council (NEC) are insisting on the resignation of Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman.

Before Friday’s NEC meeting, some party members had accused the national chairman of deliberately delaying the meeting, asking him to convene it or step down.

However, at the end of the meeting, the call for his resignation is still ongoing.

At a press briefing after the NEC meeting, Lawal Liman, chairman of Zamfara chapter of the party, who led the aggrieved NEC members, said Oshiomhole’s resignation would provide an enabling environment for genuine healing, reconciliation and the practice of true democracy within the party across the country.

Liman, who is also the spokesman for APC State Chairmen’s Forum, alleged that Oshiomhole had usurped the powers of the party’s NEC due to his “dictatorial and despotic tendencies”.

“Most of the goodwill acquired by the party, by reasons of its religious adherence to the provisions of its constitution and the tenets of internal democratic practice, has taken a downturn principally due to the dictatorial and despotic tendencies of Adams Oshiomhole, who has usurped the powers of NEC,” he said.

“This may have been responsible for the admonition of Mr President, who insisted that the party organs at the state, local government and ward levels must be strengthened and accorded due respect, with regard to the powers and responsibilities conferred on them by the party’s constitution.”

Liman said the “facade conducted by Oshiomhole in the just-concluded NEC meeting left much to be desired”.

“He (Oshiomhole) completely ignored Mr President’s advice and defied all known rules for meetings by precluding contributions from members and ending the meeting abruptly, without achieving anything. This is most unfortunate and undesirable,” he said.

“Arising from the foregoing and having regards to the huge responsibilities bestowed on us as officers of the party and in the overriding interest of our members, we are left with no option than to demand that Oshiomhole resigns his position as national chairman.

“This will stem the slide and provide an enabling environment for genuine healing, reconciliation and the practice of true democracy within the party across the country.”