Updated: Protesters shut APC national secretariat, demand Oshiomhole’s removal

For the ruling party’s loss of Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa states variously at the Supreme Court, some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have called for the sack of its National Chairman, Mr. Aliyu Adams Oshiomhole.

For different reasons bordering on intra-party wrangling and issues of fake certificate, the apex court ruled in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates during the governorship polls.

This has generated some comments from the APC which faulted the apex court for its decision to rule in favour of the opposition.

The apex court also ruled in favour of the APC in Imo state, as it sacked Emeka Ihedioha of PDP for Hope Uzodinma of the ruling party.  

Angered however by the loss of three states to the opposition PDP, a group under the aegis of the APC Young Stakeholders Forum, Monday morning took a massive protest tagged “Oshiomhole Must Go” to the national secretariat of the party, located at 40, Blantyre Street, Abuja.

The protesters in their dozens blocked the main entrance of the party house even as they called for Oshiomhole’s removal.

Our correspondent saw the angry APC as early as 11:00am with various placards with inscriptions such as “Oshiomhole Must Go”, “Oshiomhole go home”, “We are tired of losing,” etc.

 One of the leaders of the protesters, who gave his name as Mathias Omikpa, said the APC young stakeholders were tired of recording reversals of their victories on account of the tardiness of the party chairman. 

 He said, “It is time for Oshiomhole to go, we are tired of this downward trend. The national chairman has brought nothing but misfortunes to our party; from Zamfara to Rivers and now Bayelsa. We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.”

 The protesters said “Oshiomhole’s continued stay in office is a curse and would bring misfortune for the party,” adding that his action had decimated the number of states controlled by APC from 24 to 18.

Also speaking on behalf of the group, Genesis Johnson said they were disappointed with the leadership style of the former Edo state governor.

He accused Oshiomhole of impunity, particularly over the nullification of the party’s Bayelsa governor and deputy governor-elect’s victory by the Supreme Court.

He said Oshiomhole’s alleged impunity caused the party a major loss in states like Zamfara, Bayelsa and Rivers states.   

Johnson said: “Look at what happened in Bayelsa state, it was caused by Oshiomhole and we say enough is enough. We want him to park his load and leave that office. He is not the only Nigerian that can manage that office.

 “Since he came into this office he has been creating problems for this party. We will suffer to win election and at the end of the day, opposition will go to court and collect the state.

 “We are not happy with his conduct and we are the party faithful, we ask him to go, we put him there. Bringing Oshiomhole is like bringing a curse to the party,” he stated.

 The protesters vowed to sustain the protest with a view to seeing that the national chairman steps aside so the party could move forward    

Several calls by our reporter to Oshiomhole’s media aide were unanswered as at the time of going to the press.

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