APC Crisis: ‘There’s need for discipline in Edo APC’

What is your position on the APC crisis in Edo State?
There is noo crisis whatsoever. The party is more organised and peaceful today. We are in a good mood, having won at the tribunal. We are more focused on how to move the state forward.

Some party members are saying that Governor Obaseki must interfere in the crisis and the suspension of members….
Those people are political jobbers. They do not know what they are saying. The party is autonomous and not tied to the government. If the founding fathers want the party to be under the government, they would have spelt it so in the party constitution. The constitution made it clear you can not hold double offices. That excludes the government from the party administration. The president is far removed from the party. In the case of the defunct UPN, its constitution made Chief Awolowo, who was the Presidential aspirant, the National Chairman of the party. It made late Prof. Ambrose Alli the leader of the party in the State. The NPN did not allow that in their constitution. The APC clearly states that anybody holding government offices can not be party officials. Anyone holding party office cannot hold

That excludes the government from the party administration. The president is far removed from the party. In the case of the defunct UPN, its constitution made Chief Awolowo, who was the Presidential aspirant, the National Chairman of the party. It made late Prof. Ambrose Alli the leader of the party in the State. The NPN did not allow that in their constitution. The APC clearly states that anybody holding government offices can not be party officials. Anyone holding party office cannot hold

The APC clearly states that anybody holding government offices can not be party officials. Anyone holding party office cannot hold a government position. Those are people who are indiscipline party members making such insinuations that the governor should be the leader of the party and directs affairs of the party. What we have in the party constitution is the caucus, there is nothing like a leader in the APC constitution. It is unserious minded for people to say that.

You were accused of unilaterally ratifying the suspension of members….
Whoever said that should have his head re-examined. The constitution is very clear. If the party at the Ward level made allegations, you are bound to respond to the allegations. The extant case is that of Hon Samson Osagie and other members. They were suspended by their local government executives and their Ward members. The local government was duly informed. They constituted an investigative panel but these fellows refused to appear. There was no written response to the accusation. We still kept cool thinking that they will subscribe to law and order. The party informed the local government executive. The local government executives set up a committee to look into the allegations but these members felt they were too superior to appear before the committees. We were merely informed. We directed the local government to give another invitation and instead of obeying to explain themselves, they wanted to deal with the State executives directly. And we don’t have that power. It got to a point, the man that is alleging now was not invited to the State Caucus meeting but he came. At the meeting, the party chairman reminded him that he was on suspension yet he did not go back to appear before the committee. When the Governor in his magnanimity asked the party from various levels to nominate people to be appointed, the party got the guidelines and sent same through the party hierarchy to the local government level.

The extant case is that of Hon Samson Osagie and other members. They were suspended by their local government executives and their Ward members. The local government was duly informed. They constituted an investigative panel but these fellows refused to appear. There was no written response to the accusation. We still kept cool thinking that they will subscribe to law and order.

The party informed the local government executive. The local government executives set up a committee to look into the allegations but these members felt they were too superior to appear before the committees. We were merely informed. We directed the local government to give another invitation and instead of obeying to explain themselves, they wanted to deal with the State executives directly. And we don’t have that power. It got to a point, the man that is alleging now was not invited to the State Caucus meeting but he came.

At the meeting, the party chairman reminded him that he was on suspension yet he did not go back to appear before the committee. When the Governor in his magnanimity asked the party from various levels to nominate people to be appointed, the party got the guidelines and sent same through the party hierarchy to the local government level.

Osagie did not go to the party but he drew his own list of nominees and sent to the Governor directly. That is when we realised that the impunity was getting out of hand. It was at that stage we affirmed their suspension. He should go back to the party at the Ward level to go and restitution-te. Nobody is pursuing him.

People from other local government also protested the process of selecting the nominees…
Have they appointed anybody? Did they see those appointed? Have they made any announcement? There is a huge population of liars in this political game. People just wake up and fabricate stories. If people at the local government level felt cheated, they should complain to the state. As we speak, no one person has been appointed. How did they know who to be

People just wake up and fabricate stories. If people at the local government level felt cheated, they should complain to the state. As we speak, no one person has been appointed. How did they know who to be appointed? Governor Obaseki constitutes a panel headed by Professor Dennis Agbonlahor tô look at complaints after receiving some protest letters against list presented. It is dirty individuals playing politics that makes it dirty.

There are still complaints that certain individuals are hijacking the party due to the governor’s stand on not interfering in partisan politics…
The party is not under the governor in any way. Are you saying the party at the National level is under President Buhari? The party runs itself. The governor is a member of the party. He

He subscribes to the party. The party produces the governor. It already existed before the governor. Are you saying that the governor should give directives on how the party is run? I am not a government appointee. I went to Congress and was elected. If the governor finds me fit and proper to be appointed, I will resign my position. He who pays dictates the tune. A governor is a civilised man. He has no time for these gimmicks. These are people who yesterday screamed party supremacy. Now, they have been caught in their web of intrigues, they are now saying the governor should be in charge of the party. Why should we now erode the supremacy of the party?

Hon. Osagie said the APC risk plunging into crisis over actions of some leaders.
Maybe he has his own APC that will plunge into a crisis, not the one I belong to. The one I belong to does not tolerate indiscipline.
Is there any move to recall the suspended members?

We are not saying anybody should leave the party. It is not my business to suspend anybody. Mine is to affirm. Let those affected go to their constituencies and appear before the constituted authorities at that level. It is not the state or National APC that will absolve them of the blame. They should go to their Ward executives and explain to them. By the time, they take a decision and you felt that the local executive is biased, we will look into any abnormalities. It is not a situation when the local executives will call them, they will say they are too small. In this party, we are all equals. They cannot use the social media to blackmail the APC. It is not for me to impose them on their people.

They should go to their Ward executives and explain to them. By the time, they take a decision and you felt that the local executive is biased, we will look into any abnormalities. It is not a situation when the local executives will call them, they will say they are too small. In this party, we are all equals. They cannot use the social media to blackmail the APC. It is not for me to impose them on their people.

Some have alleged that they were victims of the fallout of the party primaries. What is your view?That is a layman excuse. Did Barr. Ogie not attempt to contest the election. Did he not have supporters? Is he not the SSG today? General Charles Airhiavbere contested and he is a key player in the State. Odubu now attend state functions of the party. Other leaders of the party that supported Odubu are attending meetings. Are they the only once that supported Odubu? We have since moved beyond the primaries.

Source: The Nation