…As state publicity scribe accuses him of almost running party aground
The embattled factional chairman of Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Anselm Ojezua may be expelled from the party for alleged anti-party activities. The state publicity secretary of the party, Chris Azebamwan gave an indication to this effect in a press statement on Friday. Azebamwan said though suspended, Ojezua’s continued refusal to submit himself to the authority of constituted organs of the party, and his recent pronouncements at a press conference he addressed Monday, December 16 calling for the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole amounted to anti-party activities “for which the penalty is expulsion, and appropriate recommendations will be made to the National Convention through the National Working Committee of our party to that effect”. Ojezua had last month been ousted from the party and an acting chairman named to replace him. He had however continued to sit tight in the office of state chairman.
Azebamwan described as not just comic but “such a sad spectacle to see Anselm Ojezua struggling not to vacate the office from which he was legally and constitutionally removed on 11th November 2019”, stressing that the national working committee, NWC and the national executive committee, NEC have since recognised David Imuse, a retired army colonel, as the Acting Chairman of APC, Edo State. According to the state publicity scribe, “for the avoidance of doubt Anselm Ojezua is no longer State Chairman. He should stop arrogating powers to himself that he no longer possesses. Anselm Ojezua’s call for the National Chairman to resign is an attack on his person and his exalted office, and amounts to the highest level of insubordination and unbridled arrogance” adding that “traits such as these made him almost run our party aground within the last three years”. Azebamwan noted that this was one of the reasons other members of the state working committee came to the rescue and removed him with a vote of no confidence.
Taunting Ojezua, Azebanmwan said “it is actually ironical that the same Anselm Ojezua who presided over meetings at which Mr. Gentleman Amegor was removed as State Vice Chairman (Edo South), Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo (aka nomoless) was removed as State Youth Leader, and more recently, Comrade Godwin Erhahon was removed as State Publicity Secretary, all three gentlemen via the same instrument of a vote of no confidence by their colleagues and peers. The question is why can’t Ojezua take the same pill which he so joyfully gave to others to swallow?” He said the answer to this question lay at the very heart of his “selfish determination to factionalize a Party which he had the very rare privilege of leading”.
While positing that it must be obvious to everyone that “antics such as Ojezua has displayed can only be done by someone who has perfected plans to defect to another political party” Azebamwan accused the factional chairman of making “a futile and despicable attempt to set up a parallel structure which he hopes (in his dreams, however), to use as a bargaining tool in his planned defection”.
