APC chair: Senators present grievances to Oshiomhole
Senators yesterday tabled their grievances before Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a national chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a meeting held behind closed doors at the National Assembly.
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, met with the Senate caucus of the APC with the Senate president, Bukola Saraki in attendance. After the opening ceremony, they went into an executive session that lasted for about an hour.
Sources at the meeting said Oshiomhole was told that lack of fairness and justice had fragmented the party at both national and state levels.
“We told him that people who fought for the party are being harassed; there’s no reward for people who suffered for the party rather, those who did nothing for the emergence of this government are calling shots,” said one of the lawmakers in attendance.
He said the crises trailing the ward, local and state congresses of the party were also brought forward at the meeting.
“We also told him that the way and manner the outgoing members of the NWC of the party conducted the congresses is capable of sinking the party; it would lead to numerous litigations,” he said.
The source, a ranking lawmaker said one of his colleagues suggested that all members of the party occupying elective offices be granted automatic tickets for the success of the party at the poll.
Earlier, Oshiomhole said if voted as the national chairman of the party, he would do things differently.
“We cannot dream of a party in which there are no disagreements. If we have one like that, it means the party is not democratic. In a genuine democracy, nobody will seem to be able to get everything that he wants.
“But everybody can get everything that we are able to negotiate. And the driver of this process has to compromise. And when we approach matters with an open mind, we can do business. I am confident that working with leaders with open mind, all of these issues can be resolved.
“Having been a governor for eight years, I have some understanding between the legislature and the executive whether at the federal or state level. And therefore equipped with this experience, I believe that the party will not be a spectator or a ‘siddon look’ party while various arms of government are at each other’s throat.
“We have a common opponent that is not difficult to identify; and we all know who is our opponent. We cannot be opponents of ourselves.
“I believe that working and getting support from all of you, together we can rebrand our party, strengthen it, give it a more positive image, giving our owners a sense of ownership and participation and together we will confront the forthcoming election,” Oshiomhole reportedly said.
In his remark, Saraki reportedly said Oshiomhole possessed the capacity to take up the challenges facing the party.
The meeting came up less than two weeks after the nPDP led by Alhaji Baraje presented a letter containing similar grievances to the APC leadership and copied President Muhammadu Buhari and other senior government functionaries seeking redress.