Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Facts emerged on Monday on
why some stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are
demanding the removal of Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the
party.

Speaking with our correspondent, a member of the party’s
National Working Committee (NWC), who preferred not to be named, said
those calling for Oshiomhole’s removal were doing so because of the
intrigues associated with the 2023 presidential election.

According
to him, many of those behind the call were afraid Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a
national leader of the party, who is reportedly nursing presidential
ambition in 2023, might easily get the party’s ticket with Oshiomhole in
the saddle as national chairman.

He, however, said since the
conclusion of the 2019 general elections, the APC NWC had not held any
meeting where the issue of the 2023 general election was discussed.

He
said the focus of Oshiomhole and other members of the NWC was the
forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa, which are coming
up in less than two weeks.

“All what is happening is about 2023
politics. All those demanding Oshiomhole’s removal are not really after
him; they are after Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who many believe is nursing the
ambition to succeed President Buhari in 2023″.

“Some northern
elements, in collaboration with some disgruntled former governors who
have an axe to grind with Oshiomhole, are the ones behind all these.
They don’t want Tinubu as APC candidate in 2023, so they are afraid he
may pick the ticket if Oshiomhole remains the national chairman”.

“They
are not really targeting the national chairman; their main focus is
Tinubu who they are determined to stop at all cost from clinching the
APC presidential ticket in 2023,” he said.

While confirming
reports that some stakeholders of the party had approached President
Buhari on the need to have Oshiomhole replaced, he said the president
told them in clear terms to show appreciation for the role the former
Edo State governor played not only in sanitising the party but leading
the APC to victory in the 2019 presidential election.

“It is true
that some stakeholders approached the president on the issue of the
national chairman, asking that he should be replaced, but the president
shunned them, saying he was satisfied with his performance so far,
especially in the area of instilling discipline in the party”.

“He
told them if APC stakeholders are fighting in Imo, Rivers, how is it
Oshiomhole’s fault? He told them right now, APC needs a firm leader who
can continue to reposition the party for greatness.

“The president is even bothered that why should party members be fighting about 2023 when we just finished an election in 2019?
“He
was furious with those who came to demand Oshiomhole’s removal, saying
he was the man who led the APC to victory in the just concluded general
elections.

“He also reminded them all through the court cases on
the outcome of the presidential election. Oshiomhole was always in court
even on the day of the Supreme Court judgment while many of those who
are calling for his removal were sleeping in their houses.

“So,
the national chairman is not bothered by all these attacks. In fact, he
is expecting more of these attacks in the days ahead as we approach the
2023 general elections,” he said.

In a similar development, the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to the APC to put its house
in order and govern for the sake of millions of Nigerians who are
allegedly suffering under the misrule of the present administration.

Speaking
with our correspondent, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s national
publicity secretary, said Nigerians were interested in concrete plans by
the administration to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty as it
had promised and not reports of daily squabbles between Oshiomhole and
other stakeholders.

According to him, the recent reports of
attack on the governor of Edo State and other dignitaries in the
residence of the national chairman of the ruling party in Iyamho, Edo
State, was not good for the image of the country at all.

“The
counsel the PDP has for the APC is that they should please put their
house in order for the sake of millions of Nigerians. It is a shame that
a party on whose shoulder the fate of millions of Nigerians hangs
cannot conduct its own affairs peacefully.

“How then can they
govern and deliver the gains of democracy to Nigerians. Nigerians are
tired of reading daily reports about the national chairman fighting this
or that. If you look at the situation in APC today, there is no more
governance.

“Now that the Supreme Court has given its verdict,
Nigerians should expect less governance and more of politics from APC.
We are appealing to them to put their house in order and govern for the
sake of millions of Nigerians who are groaning under the yoke of this
government,” he said.

Source:- Independentng