The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, Adams Oshiomhole has denied accusations of perpetuating himself as the new godfather of Edo politics, even as he challenged his accusers to come up with proofs
Oshiomhole stated this while fielding questions from State House Correspondents after leading some APC members to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
Speaking on the latest crises rocking the party over the choice of Party candidate in the November 16 governorship election, absolved himself of any blame, but urged contenders to apply the principles of the rule of law.
“What is the evidence? It’s all about accusation. They have to give you the particulars of that godfatherism. What’s the evidence? I am a democrat. That I accept the credit, not only that, I fought godfatherism”
Oshiomhole boasted that he did not only destroyed the concept of godfathers in Edo politics but also “launched the one man one vote campaign to fight against election rigging anywhere in Nigeria and by the special grace of God under PDP with Anenih alive, and at his best, I won all the 18 local government areas and I won 95 percent of the total votes cast in my second term election.
“So, Edo people know me and I know them. I don’t need short-cut to sustain my position in the system. But you know that there is nobody in Nigeria who is not open to accusations. The important thing is that he who accuses should give you proofs “
The former Edo State Governor also condemned the use of few members of the State House of Assembly to elect leadership of the House, without the consent of majority of the members
“ You know that what happened in Edo was that they did not publicize a proclamation letter, the members were not informed, they did the inauguration at 9:30 pm in what in a Supreme Court judgement they call nocturnal hours. Business of parliament are done transparently; they are not secret cult. Now you have 24 member House, 19 members protested.
“You have 6 and you carry people in their short knickers, even in the House they have rules, the dress code. So, it happened in Edo, it has happened in Bauchi. Like Edo, Bauchi used the minority of 10 to go and proclaim the House and lock out 20 APC members and got those 10 people to elect, exactly the way Edo did with 6 and then co opted other 3 people to become 9 and even at that, it is nonsense.
“For us these are completely illegal. And that is why we said so. If it is wrong, it is wrong whether it is done by APC or by PDP”
“I believe by the end of the day, the solution is return to the rule of law. Let’s properly follow the law; let the parliament do what they have to do but people have the right to lobby for people they want and whom they prefer. This is also legitimate.
He called on the states to emulate the examples of the National Assembly where the contestants and party officials lobbied to be elected as leaders of the Legislature, culminating in the election of leaders through the secret ballot.
“We have an APC Senator, who in spite of all the efforts invested by all our leaders including Mr. President, insisted that he will contest.
“The law allowed him so, we couldn’t stop him. The President could have said ok SSS please find excuse to invite him for questioning the day before; put him away until the elections are over. But we won’t do that.
“That is not the change we promised. The change we promised is to try to improve in the ways public institutions are managed and how rules are implemented. I believe that it will be resolved.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
