APC group calls for sack of national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole

Factional group of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday took
to the streets of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, demanding
for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole.

The group accused Oshiomhole of refusing to recognize the Minister of
Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani, as the governorship candidate
of the party in the state, despite a court order to that effect.

Federal Commissioner of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),
Cross River State, Mr Sylvester Nsa, regretted the action of the
National Chairman, saying, "If he continues, he would destroy the
party".

Nsa who was speaking on behalf of the protesters said, "The people of
APC in Cross River have gone out to protest against impunity,
injustice and total and blatant refusal to respect court ruling by the
national chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole.

"His attitude in recent times has made us to understand that Oyegun,
the former chairman, was a saint and angel. Therefore, the people of
Cross River State are angry that Oshiomhole has brought impunity in
Cross River State and not only in the state, but the action of Adams
Oshiomhole will also destroy APC in Nigeria.

"The people of APC across the country, rise up and tell Oshiomhole
that he cannot destroy APC, therefore in Cross River State, Usani is
right. Usani is the answer. No Usani no election. We want the whole
country to know that Usani built the party. He nurtured the party. He
is the leader of the party. He stands to protect the interest of the
common men and that is why, the people of APC in Cross River have
stood their grounds that without Usani, there is no APC in the state.

"I stand here as one of the leaders in the party in the state to
declare that Adams Oshiomole should be called to order. This is a man
that is a beneficiary of court order. He became a governor because of
court order and today Oshiomhole does not want to honour court order.
Therefore he must be called to order.

"I call on the judiciary to stand up otherwise; the action of
Oshiomhole is a total play down on the integrity of the judiciary. It
is an insult to the judiciary; it is an insult to democracy, so we
call on Oshiomhole to leave Cross River State alone. He must leave us
alone, otherwise, he would come to Cross River and walk alone because
the people are angry and they have spoken that they want Usani.

"If it was court that made Oshiomhole a governor, he must respect
court order. He is a man of impunity. He should resign otherwise if he
continues, he will destroy this party," Nsa said.

The Director-General of the Usani for Governor Campaign Organization,
Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, also said, "This march is a clear message to
the leader of this party, which is the President, that Oshiomole is
toying with the election of the President. He is toying with the soul
of APC. We will not accept impunity. Oshiomhole is not above the law.
He must act within the confines of the law. If he does not do that,
then we would revolt.

"This impunity must stop. Nigeria is a democratic nation and we expect
him to function within the precepts of the law. That is our position.
We cannot be subverted on intimidated. We stand resolute behind Pastor
Usani Uguru Usani. He is the leader of our party. He is the
governorship candidate of our party and the man who has built this
party.

"Some people have been sent on secondment from the other side to come
and hijack this party. We would not allow that. They were part of the
destruction of Cross River State for 20 years and now they are coming
here to tell us they believe in the change. They are not part of the
change.

"They have no change to offer us. They are here on secondment. We
don't want them. They are not our candidate, we didn't vote for them.
Let them return to where they came from. In APC we work for change and
Oshiomhole must work within the confines of that change. If peaceful
protest is being resisted, we would rise up. Cross River State belongs
to us. Let him respect the law.

"We need change in the state and the only man who can offer that
change is Pastor Usani. He personifies light. Darkness cannot dethrone
darkness. Oshiomhole must leave Cross River alone. That is what we are
saying and what we stand for," he stated.