The Coalition of 2019 APC Presidential Aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday repeated its call for the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, “for his role in the current crisis brewing in the party.”

The coalition noted that since it first made the demand a fortnight ago, “a stream of party faithful from around the country have joined to register their support for the immediate ouster of the former union activist.”

“Unfortunately, however, instead of seeking peace and assuaging hurt feelings from the primaries, which left the party in deeper crisis, Oshiomhole has resorted to intimation, blackmail, and slander. If he is not using the name of President Muhammadu Buhari to blackmail governors serving under the platform of the party, Oshiomhole is busy throwing tantrums to aggrieved aspirants and other party stakeholders,” the coalition said in a statement signed by Dr. SKC Ogbonnia and Alhaji (Barr.) Mumakai Unagha.

The statement reads in part: “We also note with dismay that the chairman would stoop so low by using his latest outburst to denigrate the person of Alhaji Mumakai Unagha for the simple reason that the erstwhile presidential aspirant offered a dissenting opinion in a newspaper interview.

“By all indications, Oshiomhole has become a visible cancerous tumor to our great party, and the earlier we cut the cancer off; the better for the party and Nigeria in general. The former union activist is attacking all cells and veins of the party.

“By his press statement yesterday, October 21, 2018, he admitted a gang-up against him from across the country, whatever that means. But Oshiomhole ought to understand that a broad-based gang-up among party faithful and the stakeholders against the party chairman signifies a vote of no confidence.

“We, the coalition of Aspirants under the All Progressive Congress (APC), wish to state here that a majority of the party no longer believes in Oshiomhole’s leadership as the National Chairman of the party. Therefore, he has no option than to resign honourably.

“We maintain that the party risks disgrace, losing woefully in 2019, should Adams Oshiomhole remain as the National Chairman of the party. For obvious reasons, the level of division in the party is a clear testimony that the party cannot survive except he is replaced.

“Suffice to mention here that the chairman has not only projected APC as enemy of Nigerian youths, he has also brought the party into disrepute with his frequent outbursts.

“It is worthy of mention that we, the coalition of aspirants, are not against President Muhammadu Buhari nor fighting Adams Oshiomhole as a person, because he claims to be supporting Mr. President; we are simply for the greater of the party and Nigeria as a whole.

“After wide consultations among party stakeholders, including governors, members of National Assembly, and youth groups, the Coalition of 2019 APC Aspirants resolved as follows:

“1) President Buhari should use his good offices to occasion an emergency meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to pass a vote of no confidence on Comrade Oshiomhole and relieve him of his position;

“2) The NEC should appoint an acting chairman who has what it takes to unite the party and lead it to victory. (PDP had similar challenge before 2011 elections and decisively enthroned an acting chairman that guided the party to victory).

“3) The NEC should appoint a committee to review cases where Oshiomhole imposed candidates and devise ways of refunding aspirants who paid for the exorbitant nomination fees but were denied of free and fair participation and election. There are many creative ways the ruling APC can raise funds besides apparent extortion schemes introduced by the Oshiomhole administration;

“4) Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole must be compelled to fully account for all revenues accrued to the party since he resumed office in June 2018.”

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