APC
Thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful in Imo State on Monday took to the street to protest the substitution of candidates who won the primary election by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, according to a report by TheNation.
It was gathered that the protest was led by APC leaders who knocked Oshiomole for “introducing impunity” in the party.
According to the protesters who displayed various placards such as, “Oshiomole should respect the will of the people”, ‘we say no to substitution of candidates’.
‘Oshiomole is killing APC’, ‘President Buhari, save our party from Oshiomole’, ‘We insist on the result of October 6 Primary’, among others, accused the party Chairman of turning the party’s ticket into “cash and carry” affair.
Some of the candidates allegedly substituted by Oshiomole were Hon Kingsley Uju (Ohaji-Egbema-Oguta- Oru West Fed Constituency), Paschal Obi (Ideato South and Ideato North Fed Constituency) and Prof. Nnamdi Obiareri (Imo North Senatorial Zone).
Vehicular and human movements were crippled on major streets in Owerri, the state capital.
The Secretary General of the Southeast for Buhari Group, Prince Charles Amadi, stated that Oshiomole’s actions are capable of destroying the chances of the APC in Imo State and in the Southeast.
According to him, the plot to substitute the names of candidates that won the primary elections is tantamount to destroying the party.
He urged President Buhari to prevail on Oshiomole and other members of the National Working Committee of the party to adhere to the tenets of internal democracy for which the party is known by implementing the outcome of the Ibrahim Agbabiaka led Primary election without any compromise.
Another member of the Buhari’s support group and former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ugochi Nnanna Okoro, stated that the National Chairman has introduced similar impunity that led to the crash of the People”s Democratic Party (PDP).
She accused Oshiomole of muscling up the NWC and usurping the functions of the members, alleging that,“Oshiomole has moved the Secretariat of the party to his private residence, where he stays to perpetrate all forms of impunity but we will resist him in Imo State, we will not allow him to destroy the party we fought hard to build. We were called all manner of names because we joined APC and today the same people are being treated as sacred cows by Oshiomole.
“We are by this protest registering our total displeasure with his style of leadership, especially the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, described the actions of Oshiomole as alien to the APC, warning that going ahead with the planned substitution of the candidates will not be in the interest of the party.
Speakers after speakers took turn to warn the National Chairman against inciting crisis in the state chapter of the party.
Meanwhile the State Chairman of the party, Mr. Daniel Nwafor, who was absent at the protest rally, said that he had pleaded with the party members to allow the NWC to look into their grievances without resorting to protest.
He however appealed to the leadership of the party to look into the matter and urgently address the issues raised by the aggrieved members of the party.
Nwafor also assured the party members that their grievances will be addressed, ”our National Chairman is a man with listening ears, he will certainly look into the issues raised by the aggrieved members of our party”.
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