To tame the escalating trend in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has set up a facts finding and reconciliation committee.

Announcing this on Wednesday evening, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC’s NWC also upheld the suspension of the Chairman of the party’s state chapter, Mr Anselm Ojezua.

He was suspended by 11 of the 16 members of the chapter’s executive council.

The party, which lamented the worsening situation within the chapter, clarified that its steps in the ongoing interventions would be guided by the primary intention of finding a lasting resolution to the disagreements.

On the suspension of Ojezua, the party’s NWC said it adopted the decision of the State Executive Council of the party because it was comfortable that due process was followed in arriving at the decision. The suspension would persist untill the facts-finding and reconciliation committee comes with its report.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has watched with grave concern the political development within the Party ranks in Edo State and is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of events. We note that this is happening inspite of the various steps the party has taken to find an amicable resolution.

“Recall that party leaders such as the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, and other eminent party leaders, had all tried at various times to ensure that the issues do not escalate.

“Sadly, these interventions have not yielded the desirable results.

“However, the immediate concern of the NWC is how to ensure that unity returns to the ranks of the party in Edo State. In achieving this, we have decided to constitute a high-power fact-finding and reconciliation committee of party leaders to meet with all disputing parties to ensure that all issues are addressed and resolved.

“Meanwhile, the meeting of the NWC, which held today, Wednesday, at the Party’s National Secretariat received a notification of the suspension of the Edo State APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezua by eleven [11] of the sixteen [16] members of the Edo State Working Committee (SWC).

We have reviewed the process they followed and conclude that they have fulfilled the required conditions.

“We therefore uphold the suspension of the Edo State APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezua while we await the outcome of the fact-finding and reconciliation committee.

“Please note that the NWC’s objective and cause of action is strictly to address the root causes of the disputations and reconcile all parties to make our great party even stronger,” the statement said. (The Nation)

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