‘APC crisis getting worse… Oshiomhole can’t win elections anymore’

Salihu Lukman, director-general of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, says the crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) is getting worse by the day.

Lukman said this in a memo he sent to the reconciliation committee chaired by Bisi Akande, a former interim chairman of the APC.

The APC leadership set up the committee to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

But in the memo, the DG blamed Adams Oshiomhole, the APC national chairman, for the problems in the party.

According to him, the national working committee (NWC) led by Oshiomhole can no longer provide the needed leadership to win elections for the party.

“Perceived weaknesses of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC served as the justification of electing Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as replacement to Chief Oyegun,” Lukman said.

“Sadly, challenges of internal democracy and fair competitive practices during candidates’ selection processes in the party remained a dream.

“Now, clearly the problems associated with candidates’ selection process has produced what can be regarded as an electoral college. Citizens can vote but our supreme court will eventually determine the winner. All as a result of very poor management of candidates’ selection process by our party.

“Unfortunately, our party’s NWC is hardly able to come up with any reassuring response.

“The crisis in the party is clearly getting worse and worse by the day. It has gotten to a stage whereby the competence of members of the comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC to provide needed leadership to ensure victory in every election has been eroded.

“We can win elections and on account of some inabilities to competently manage legal challenges associated with nomination of candidates, we are compelled to surrender victory to our opponents.”

He described the Oshiomhole-led NWC as “a very efficient Trojan horse that opens the backdoor for electoral victory to our political opponents”.

“It is really unfortunate that we are faced with all the avoidable electoral tragedies that have befallen us, all because our NWC has decided to abdicate its responsibility,” Lukman said.

“His level of intolerance is so high that any disagreement or criticism expressed against any of his decisions or actions is classified as betrayal and therefore requiring disciplinary actions.

“As a result, comrade Oshiomhole is today the leading accuser, prosecutor and judge in almost all cases where disciplinary actions have been administered in the party.”