Anselm Ojezua, the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said the party National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is not the leader of the party in the state.
YaahooJournalist reports that Ojezua made this known while speaking to journalists on Saturday after a meeting with party leaders in Edo North at Jattu-Uzaire, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
The Edo State APC chairman stressed that Oshiomhole remains suspended from the party and that Governor Godwin Obaseki is the only constitutionally recognized leader of the Edo APC.
He said: “There’s nothing to be afraid of as no man is God and God is firmly standing with Edo people.
“Secondly, you will hear them say the APC in Edo State is divided. Is there anybody of substance in Edo North who is not here today?
“That division is in the imagination of some people, not in the APC. The APC in Edo is intact and will soon announce a committee for mobilisation of new members from across the 18 LGAs.
“We must remain focused and avoid distractions from enemies of our great party. Whatever is happening in Edo today is not new.
“This is the third time. The first was between (late) Chief (Tony) Anenih, who claimed to be the leader of the party and (former Governor) Lucky Igbinedion, who the constitution empowered to be the leader.
“For the record, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not even that of the APC, recognises two leaders – the President of the country and the governor of the state.
“So, Anenih said he was the leader, we said no, that it was Lucky Igbinedion because he was the governor.
“In the end, they won by manipulation but the people of Edo State went to court and Oshiomhole was declared governor.
“The second phase was when Oshiomhole became governor and some people said they are the leaders of the party in the state, that Oshiomhole isn’t a politician but a trade union leader.
“As usual, we insisted that Oshiomhole as the governor remained the leader.
“This same (Pastor Osagie) Ize-Iyamu he is bringing now said he would decide who would lead the party in Edo State.
“When we resisted, he got annoyed and threatened to quit the party. He specifically said once he left, the APC in Edo State would die.
“But years after he left, has the APC died? No. Instead, we are stronger, formidable and united.”
