Oshiomhole: APC govs forum DG gets 7-day ultimatum to withdraw ‘malicious statement’

A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state has threatened to sue the Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Saliu Lukman, for making ‘malicious statement’ against the national chairman of the party.


He has, however, been given seven days to withdraw a statement termed ‘malicious’ against the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).


The PGF DG had on Sunday in a lengthy article released to newsmen, described the Oshiomhole-led NWC as ‘intolerant’ of criticism and lack necessary competence to manage a national party like the APC.


The forum also warned the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to stop making inflammatory public statement capable of putting the party in the bad light.


But reacting through a statement signed in Abuja by the chairman and secretary of the APC Edo state stakeholders forum, Chief Francis Inegbeneki and Alhaji Sulaiman Bagudu, described Lukman’s memo as “tantamount to arrant nonsense, he has, as a matter of fact, ceased being the DG of the Progressives Governors’ Forum from the day he decided to market his soul to those who were afraid of the on-going reforms in the APC being spearheaded by the Oshiomhole -led NWC.”


The statement also accused the PGF director general of turning himself to a PDP man, masquerading as an associate of APC governors. 


“For so long, we have kept quiet to his tantrums against the APC National Chair, thinking that himself and his co-travelers, including Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, would turn a new leaf but they have persisted in their evil plot against Comrade Oshiomhole.


“Comrade Oshiomhole is not in the same category with small-minded men, like Lukman, who are making frantic efforts to please their pay masters. 


“We are aware of his nocturnal visits to Edo Government House where he leaves with Ghana-Must-Go bags. 


“If his memo is not full of mischief and motivated by compromised conscience that was not out to promote reconciliation, he should not have sent it to the press before making it available to the Committee members.  


“The point we make is that a memo he had prepared for the Bisi Akande Committee should not have got to the press before members of the Committee. 


“To appreciate how mischievous the so-called Lukman is, he delved into Edo State politics to appease his pay master when he claimed the National Chairman is surrounded by sychophants in Edo as result of which he ( National Chairman) does not take advice.


“If he does not know, the biggest sychophants around Oshiomhole were his (Lukman’s) friends-Obaseki and Philip Shaibu-who are his links to Edo State Government House. These two people decieved Oshiomhole into giving them power and today they want to kill all the leaders in Edo due to their desperation for a second term.


“We advise Lukman to continue to cultivate his new farm in Obaseki and Shaibu but he should  stop insulting Oshiomhole or APC leaders because they are not on the same political pedestal.


“If he wants to be the National Chairman of the APC, he should wait for the next national convention to contest. But he should first test his popularity in his home state by running for councillorship position and see if he will win.”


The Edo APC members, however, called on the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, to call his DG to order “unless he is the one fueling the insults against Comrade Oshiomhole. 


“It is even an insult on the governors to see their national chairman being attacked persistently by their DG. It is uncalled for and unacceptable to us. 


“Edo APC will not tolerate any attempt to take Oshiomhole for granted by bread-and-butter men like Lukman. 


“We will soon expose all Lukman’s dealings with the Edo State government and the world will know how deceitful he is.  Indeed, Lukman lacks the moral standing to talk about Oshiomhole. He should go and contest election or keep his mouth shut.”

Leave a Reply