Oshiomhole: APC S’South Leader, Omo-Agege, Absent As 4 Buhari Ministers Attend Obaseki’s Parley
The South-South Consultative meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, convened Thursday night by Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has held, in spite of calls for a boycott by the National Vice Chairman of the party for the zone, Hilliard Eta.
It was however boycotted by the Leader of the party in the South-South and Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.
Those who attended the meeting included four ministers currently serving in the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration.
They are Rotimi Amaechi (Transport), Dr Osagie Ehanire (Health), Festus Keyamo (State, Labour) and Goddy Jeddy Agba (State, Power).
Others were former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Nguru Usani, and ex-NIMASA boss, Dakuku Peterside, Sen. Domingo Obende, factional Chairman of the party in Edo, Anslem Ojezua, party chieftain and Public Affairs to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former APC National Chairman, Dr. Ray Murphy and Chief Osaro Idah.
Those who attended also included Sen. Ehigie Uzamere, John James, former acting Governor of Cross River State, Hon. Larry Odey, former President of the Trade Union Congress TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, former Minister of state in the FCT, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe and former Edo state Governor, Sen. Osariemhen Osunbor.
Although details of the closed-door meeting were sketchy as at press time, the central theme of the meeting was to prepare the zone for a post-Adams Oshiomhole era.
One of those who attended the meeting said the essence was the brief stakeholders on the situation of the party as well as develop a harmonized position ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee NEC meeting slated for next Tuesday.
The position, Vanguard learned was to ask NEC to uphold the suspension of Comrade Oshiomhole and in turn ask the acting National Secretary of the party, Chief Victor Giadom to continue to steer the APC ship towards a mini National Convention.
National Vice Chairman of the party for the South-South, Hilliard Eta, had on Wednesday distanced leaders of the party in the zone from the consultative meeting called by Gov. Obaseki, arguing that the governor has no powers to call such a meeting.
Gov. Obaseki who has vowed to unseat Comrade Oshiomhole had allegedly sent invitation letters to leaders of the party in the zone, to attend a Consultative meeting ostensibly to discuss the issue of the National Chairman.
However, Eta in a statement urged members of the zonal caucus to shun the said meeting.
He said; “I saw the invitation the governor is sending out to people inviting them for a meeting. But I am calling on all our party leaders to shun the meeting because he has no right to convene such a meeting. I am the South-South Vice Chairman of the party and any APC leadership meeting is convened by me.
“I have also communicated to our political leader in the zone, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and he is not aware of any such meeting. So, we are calling on all our leaders not to attend any such meeting because it is ill-conceived and ill-motivated. At this point in time we are focusing on how to strengthen our great party under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and not to destabilize the party”, Eta had stated.
