Oshiomhole Bows Out, Says Buhari Invited Him To Reposition APC

Ousted National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says he has accepted the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to dissolve the National Working Committee (NWC) which he chaired until Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Oshiomhole said he has also asked his lawyers to withdraw his appeal pending at the Supreme Court. The former Edo governor was challenging a Court of Appeal order upholding his suspension him as chairman of the party.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari had two years ago invited him to come and reposition the APC and that since the President in his wisdom has also agreed to the dissolution of the NWC, he is bound to obey him as the leader of APC.

Oshiomhole maintained  that he is happy with what he achieved during his time in office as the APC National Chairman. 

This was even as members of the NWC had yesterday said they are no longer considering legal action in addressing their grievances.

The aggrieved NWC members had considered legal action after the committee was dissolved at a NEC meeting of the party that was held at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

Speaking on Friday, former National Secretary of the party, Waziri Bulama said they have accepted the decision of the president on the dissolution of the committee.

Bulama said, “Following consultations with our leaders all the stakeholders, we have accepted the decision of the President on the dissolution of NWC and the setting up of a Caretaker Committee headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni.

“We are respecting the president. We are not antagonistic. All the views we expressed were in the light of the constitution of the party. Consulting our leaders and stakeholders does not mean going to court. We have no such plans.

“We are putting aside all constitutional and legal processes in the overall interest of the party. We have respect for authority, we appeal to all the stakeholders not to escalate the crisis in the party. We will cooperate with Buni’s committee which will organize a convention in the next six months.

“This is what is propelling some segments of the party in struggling to take control of the party because some elements within the Nigerian political elite see the political party as only within the limited scope of a function of a party as a special purpose vehicle for elections; thinking that if they seize control of the party and without Buhari, they can steer the party in one direction or the other.

“The court cases were triggered by some of these interests some of which are political, some personal. For instance, political ambition, someone thinks that if he takes over the party, he can use it for this purpose or that. He or she wants to secure election in the local government, state, or the national level and use it to his own advantage. This can trigger agitation within the party.”