Charles Idahosa, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has condemned the decision of the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to adopt direct primary election, as a mode of determining the party’s flagbearer in the September gubernatorial poll.
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Idahosa, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, noted that if the party leadership fails to intervene in what he called interference in state politics by Oshiomhole, he said the former governor will destroy the democratic values in the party.
He warned that same fate awaits Edo, like Zamfara and Rivers State, where the party could not present consensus candidates for gubernatorial elections in 2019.
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The party chieftain noted that Oshiomhole adopted and supervised an indirect primary election that brought Obaseki into power in 2016.
Idahosa said the party’s national chairman is now insisting on a direct primary, when the state is trying to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
He said: “On the issue of direct or indirect primary, it is very clear that primary is a domestic issue of a political party. There is a Supreme Court judgment on that. I think (Adams) Oshiomhole is just out to do a lot of destruction just like he did in Zamfara and other states.
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“What surprises me most is that all the leaders of the party are just waiting for him to destroy the fabrics of democracy in the APC. Why they are doing that I don’t know.
“When people try to change story to suit them, it is very painful. Everybody is aware that on the issue of Edo State, Oshiomhole is a principal actor. In fact, he is an interested party in this matter. He wants Obaseki out at all costs, even though the majority believes that the governor has performed well.
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“Oshiomhole was governor when Obaseki contested the governorship primary in 2016. The method used was indirect primary and it was held at the Ogbeh Stadium, supervised by Oshiomhole himself. I remember that the people with Oshiomhole now were abusing him, telling him that he was influencing the outcome of the primary because he wanted Obaseki to win. There was no COVID-19 then but he used indirect primary.
“Why is he now calling for direct primary at a time we are all trying to stop the spread of coronavirus in the state? (John) Odigie-Oyegun has spoken and he advised that Oshiomhole should excuse himself. When he was the national chairman of the party, Oyegun never supported Obaseki but he did not interfere in the process. He did not disturb Oshiomhole from doing whatever he wanted to do then. So, what is it that is so special about Oshiomhole that nobody wants to stop him?
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“In Edo State, we don’t care if it is direct primary or indirect. What we are saying is the fairness. If Oshiomhole is involved, whether direct or indirect, there is going to be problem because he is biased and he is a major part of the crisis rocking Edo APC today. He should explain to the world how he brought Obaseki in as APC candidate in 2016.
“Was it not through indirect primary? Now he wants all of us to go and crowd ourselves in all our local governments just because he wants Obaseki out at all costs? The reason he is insisting on direct primary is because it is very easy to manipulate. I have a very good example. I contested the governorship primary with Oshiomhole in 2007.
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“He was barely 10 days old in the Action Congress (AC) then and I defeated him hands down. But what happened? They changed the result. These were results brought from different locations so it was very easy for the people at the party headquarters to change them. Those who did the injustice are alive and they have apologised to me.”
The APC primary election in the state has been slated for June 22, 2020.
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