*Insists he remains a humble, committed party man
*Reveals how NWC romances candidate not friendly with APC
…who failed to deliver APC in 81 wards in her senatorial district
*One thought her those who imposed her would help her win – He says
*Accuses his accusers of living on writing results but failed by Card Reader
“Failure to do this is better imagined. I’ve always been bothered about what happens when Mr. President finishes his second term? How best do we hold on to the 12 million Buhari Vote Bank, which resonates in every presidential election, since 2003? This Vote Bank is an uncommon treasure built by the Aminu Kano tradition in the North, which President Buhari epitomises. This is my greatest concern, when one reviews what reckless leadership caused our great party.”
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has said that there will be no moving forward for the party in the post-Muhammadu Buhari era except for the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to quit.
Okechukwu, who is also the Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), said gave made this submission in an interview with The Guardian’s South East Bureau Chief Lawrence Njoku published by the newspaper on Sunday.
Asked what his advice would be to the party moving forward, the APC chieftain, who said he only heard his suspension on radio, television and the newspapers, said before anything at all Oshiomhole must give way as to reorganize and overhaul the party for the post-Buhari era.
“Failure to do this is better imagined. I’ve always been bothered about what happens when Mr. President finishes his second term? How best do we hold on to the 12 million Buhari Vote Bank, which resonates in every presidential election, since 2003? This Vote Bank is an uncommon treasure built by the Aminu Kano tradition in the North, which President Buhari epitomizes. This is my greatest concern, when one reviews what reckless leadership caused our great party,” Osita Okechukwu said.
He was confronted with a question bothering on how he was seen as resorting to attacking his party leadership and refusing to support that party’s candidates when denied Enugu West senatorial ticket and how that attitude put him up as a nonparty but desperate person for office.
But the outspoken politician said: “Without being immodest, I’m a humble person and devout party man. If not, how come I used my little resources and contact to upgrade APC in Enugu more than any other person? It’s difficult to support a carpetbagger, especially one that is not a team player and whose hallmark is factionalism.
“My sister, Juliet factionalised Enugu APC, knocking one head against the other. She instituted serial court cases, including the one that blocked genuine peace effort, His Excellency, Ken Nnamani made before the primary. It was the faction she funded with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which subsisted till March 9, 2019 and upon which Senator Ayogu Eze, was dazed, scoring only 10,000 votes.
“Today, she is not friendly with any of the APC factions in Enugu State. My cardinal question is: why didn’t she win at her ward, Egede? Or in any of the 81 wards which make up Enugu West Senatorial District? One thought those who imposed her would have come to help her win. They lived on assumption that they would write the result, but the ubiquitous Card Reader denied them this utopia.”
The VON chief however dismissed the thought that he meant his party lacks the powers to suspend him clarifying that: “What I said was that the NWC didn’t follow due process and rule of law. The right thing is to follow the due process laid down in Section 21 of our party’s Constitution and give one fair hearing as demanded by extant laws. Anything contrary is witch-hunt and show of power. This is season of contestation for ministers and they want to blackmail and eliminate some of us. They’re not Almighty God.”
It will be recalled Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State had recently insisted that Oshiomhole, on his own, lacked no powers to suspend him from a party he helped form saying to suspend such member requires due process, which, according to him, the NWC did not follow in its acclaimed suspension of the governors including Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Okorocha (Imo) and others.
…Full interview soon.
