The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Chief Osita Okechukwu has insisted that National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is not a valid member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He stated this on Friday despite reconciliation efforts embarked upon by the party leadership in the last few days.
Recall that Oshiomhole was in 2019 suspended by his ward in Edo State, a suspension upheld by Justice Danlami Senchi of the FCT High Court on March 4.
But the Court of Appeal on March 10 heard an ex-parte motion argued for Oshiomhole by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), and ordered a stay of execution of the ruling by Justice Senchi, pending the determination of the appeal by the APC Chairman.
When the appeal came up for hearing on March 20, the Court of Appeal could not hear the matter, and a court official said that a new date for the hearing would be communicated to concerned parties.
Reacting, Okechukwu said the peace moves would come to nothing, saying Oshiomhole has ceased to be a member of APC.
He said “Without prejudice to the ongoing trial, whether the Appeal Court sat today or not, it must hold session someday, and the main issue remains whether a man suspended by his ward executive can preside over same association?
“The truth is that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is no longer validly a member of APC.
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“Don’t forget that Comrade validated the suspension of Barrister Inua Abdulkadir, Vice Chairman North West, by his ward. It’s trite law that one cannot approbate and re-approbate.
“Like Super King, he glossed over his suspension and our great party’s constitution is scant with time, for it allows only seven days to appeal.
“As of now, permit me to state that one was impressed with Mr. President’s intervention, which is fatherly. Secondly, I was also enthused by Comrade Adams Oshimohole’s statement that ‘I have learnt my lesson. I have asked everyone, whatever they consider being my shortcomings, for forgiveness and they have forgiven me. I was humbled yesterday at the court.”
Okechukwu added, “We all factually need peace. However, as a student of Political Science and one who devoted time to study dictatorship, I am skeptical and bidding my time to believe hook, line and sinker Comrade Oshiohmole.
“As a Christian, I may have forgiven him, but not all have, for history is not a witness in many instances, where a dictator has changed his colours.
“If he changes for good that will be an exception and we will glorify Almighty God that the virus has been curbed. One event which will soonest test Comrade’s commitment to the statement cited above, in the next few days or weeks, is the resolution of Edo State APC’s imbroglio.
“Albeit, without being cynical Pa Bisi Akande’s Committee cannot resolve it without his openness. The way and manner he spearheads the reconciliation with his brethren in Edo State, before the arrival of the Akande Committee will tell us whether the Osho-Virus is receding.
“In Edo, he holds the peace banner and crisis flag.”
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