17 APC appointees quit Oshiomhole govt

From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

Seventeen All Progressives party (APC) political office holders in Edo State yesterday quit Governor Adams Oshiomhole government and the party in anger.

Former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu led the splinter group including some party chieftains and Boards Chairmen, members, Heads of parastatals, past commissioners, former House of Assembly member who also announced their resignation at a Stakeholders in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.

Prominent among the aggrieved party members who resigned include, Chief Evelyn (Omokhodion) Igbafe, State Director Poverty Alleviation Agency, Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Projects Monitoring, Mr Osaretin Edosomwan,Mr Festus Iwu – Special Adviser to the State Governor on Water and Energy and Mr Ralph Oshiomo, Executive Director, Edo State Neighbourhood Watch.

Former National Vice Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN, South-south, State Chairman and Deputy Chairman of ACN, Prince Tony Omoaghe and Alhaji Usman Shagadi.

The decision of the stakeholders followed the expiration of 7-day ultimatum handed down to the State Governor to “cancel the very questionable party membership resignation as well as dubious wards and local government registration according to the spokesman of the splinter group, Prince Tony Omoaghe – former Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), urging supporters to be prayerful.

Omoaghe said apart from alleged non-compliance with their request, “Governor Oshiomhole attempted to woo aggrieved members of the party individually by offering them Greek gifts’’ instead of making effort to redress the flaw that trailed membership registration.

He accused the governor of playing the ostrich over the latter declaration during Workers’ Day at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, that “the reason his party members were challenging him was because he promised to handover power to a fellow labour leader.

Osaretin Edosomwan, Special Adviser on Project Monotoring said the structure of the group was what brought Governor, Adams Oshiomhole to power. He argued that “you can imagine, I’m his Special Adviser, who are you Advising? He doesn’t even listen. If you tell him to do this, he (Oshiomhole) will tell you No!’’