By David Lawani,
Scores of protesters claiming to be All Progressives Congress (APC) members from Edo North, have besieged the party’s national secretariat to protest the decision of former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to contest the Edo North Senatorial seat at the 2023 general ewlections.
The protest came days after the former APC national chairman withdrew from the 2023 presidential race Wto pursue his senatorial ambition. Oshiomhole was among the 351 Senatorial aspirants screened last Saturday by the party’s screening committee to vie for the Edo North senatorial election in Edo State.
Spokesperson for the group, Stephen Asemah said: “ We wish to draw the attention of our party to the serial controversies vis-a-vis legal burden hanging on Adams Alliu Oshiomhole, especially relating to his non-credibility to participate in the ongoing APC Nomination Exercise for the 2023 general election.
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“In view of the precarious opposition status of the APC in Edo state, wherein the ruling PDP under a draconic Governor Godwin Obaseki may lay ambush on the electoral prospects of APC if Adams Oshiomhole’s is considered for nomination. We therefore advise the APC Appeal Screening Committee to curtail avoidable technical losses of APC in Edo-North (which remains the only APC stronghold in Edo state). The Appeal Committee should review and stepdown Adams Alliu Oshiomhole from the ongoing 2022 APC nomination process.”
He added: “Based on a subsisting indictment on May 14th, 2020, by Justice James Oyomire (rtd) Judicial Commission of Inquiry report, which indicted Adams Alliu Oshiomhole on the gross breach of the Edo State Public Procurement Law in the N1.4billion supply and installations of medical equipment by VAMED Engineering Nigeria Limited (January 4th, 2015). And that on December 23rd, 2015, contract awards of N12.2billion to A&K Construction Ltd and another N2.5billion to Sageto Ltd for constructions of a Teaching Hospital and Senate building respectively in the Edo University, Iyamho, were also fraught with breaches of the state’s procurement laws.
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“The Constitutionality of the powers of state governors to institute administrative or judicial commissions of enquiry within their areas of jurisdiction is no longer contentious because powers of state governments to legislate on matters is in the residual list of the 1999 Constitution. Furthermore, the Attorney-General of Edo state has powers to prosecute any person accused of committing state offences, such as the indictment of Adams Oshiomhole.
“The authenticity of Oshiomhole membership status after his suspension remains an unsettled fundamental issue. We recall that as of August 24, 2021, Justice D.Z. Senchi of an Abuja High Court sitting at Jabi, ruled that “Pursuant to the Motion on Notice, No. FCT/HC/M/8148/2020, dated and filed on 1/7/2020 discontinuing this suit at the instance of the Plaintiffs/Applicants and the Defendants/Respondents not opposing the application for discontinuance, the application is hereby granted, and suit is dismissed.
“Parties to bear their respective cost, if any.” It was a suit filed by Comrade Mustapha Saliu, Oshawo Steven and four others over the purported suspension of the former APC National Chairman by his ward 10 APC Executives, Etsako West L.G.A.”
According to the group, the protest became necessary following rumours that the party was set to give its ticket to Oshiomhole to fly its flag at next year’s election, adding that Oshiomhole, a former national chairman of APC, remains suspended as court cases surrounding his removal from office in 2020 were yet to be determined.
