*As national body dissolves election committee, sets up caretaker committee
By Kemi Kasumu
Edo 2020 electioneering season has its own peculiarities. It is about the first time the victimizer and the victimised are equally embattled.
This is as latest development shows how national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomole, allegedly paid a huge sum of N50 million to some legal practitioners in understanding that they would help deliver his preferred candidate to emerge as chairman from the Benin Branch election of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
The source alleged that: “He gave them a sum of 50 million naira, to help deliver his candidate, as you know, the NBA chairman has influence in the legal world, so this is what the money is meant for.“
But sadly for them, it was gathered, the national body of the NBA already ordered that the Benin Branch Election Committee set up in the state be dissolved and a caretaker committee set up to manage the affairs of the body for the next three months.
So on Sunday, 14th of June 2020 the legal practitioners, who collected the money still decided to hold a “crooked” election to fulfill Adams Oshiomole’s wish. But this plan was truncated when the security forces reportedly stormed the venue and halted the unapproved NBA branch election process.
It was further gathered that Oshiomole and Ize Iyamu are currently in confusion as the N50 million has been shared amongst illegal hands and the plan didn’t pull through.
Finally the source alleged that: “Adams Oshiomole has ordered that the legal practitioners that he gave the 50million naira to, should come to Abuja to explain the whereabouts of the money.“
All our contacts in Abuja and the zones, pressed to facilitate our direct engagement of Oshiomole to defend himself or otherwise, did not yield results as at the time of filing this report.
A particular message sent to the APC’s information office was not replied although we have evidence it was well received.
Also an NBA’s former national vice president sent enquiry for his reaction was replied to but he said he had no idea of the matter. He was replying from Lagos.
