Oshiomhole’s camp jittery as Obaseki convenes South-South leaders meeting Thursday

By TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

Ahead of next Tuesday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has called a meeting of the South-South leaders.

The meeting is expected to hold Thursday in Benin, the Edo State capital.

Checks revealed that the Edo State governor has been mobilising certain chieftains of the party in the zone to push for the ouster of his estranged godfather, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman at the meeting of the national caucus and NEC.

Certain chieftains of the party from South-South who have since lined behind Governor Obaseki in his cold war with Comrade Oshiomhole are already shopping for a replacement for the immediate past Edo State governor from the zone.

But the national vice-chairman, South-South of the party, Hillard Eta has advised leaders of the party in the zone to stay away from the stakeholders meeting to hold today in Benin.

Eta in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja claimed Governor Obaseki was not vested with the party constitution to call a meeting of zonal leaders.

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 destabilise the party.

“We urge all stakeholders including Governor Obaseki to follow the constitution of the party which is supreme because any meeting called by him without the proper procedure is null and void.” (Nigerian Tribune)