A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has said the public altercation between the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his predecessor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is capable of affecting the party’s fortunes in the forthcoming stand-alone elections.
Nabena, who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, cited governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo and Anambra states, which will hold this year and next year as elections likely to be affected if the face-off is not immediately resolves.
The APC chieftain said there were plans by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to exploit the situation ahead of the listed governorship elections.
He advised the two leaders to put their personal interests aside for the interest of the ruling party.
Describing Odigie-Oyegun as an elder statesman, Nabena said the former party chairman should be seen making peace everywhere the political interests of the members snowball into crises and not adding “salt to the injury”.
He said the former national chairman should tell Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki the truth and not encourage illegality, which he said was happening in the Edo State House of Assembly.
Nabena said: “The media exchange between our former and current national chairmen does not serve the interest of our party in any way. In fact, it is de-marketing and weakening the party when we should be consolidating ahead of governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Ondo and Anambra states.
“The PDP is waiting in the flanks to grab the governorship seats, if we don’t put our house in order. In the interest of the party, our respected leaders, who also happen to be former governors of Edo State, must sheathe their swords.”
On the controversies that have trailed the Bauchi and Edo State Houses of Assembly, Nabena said: “This is not an issue of politics. The party’s position is very clear that the right thing should be done, not just in Bauchi State, which has a PDP governor, but also in Edo State, which has an APC governor.
“The respective Houses of Assembly must be transparently and properly convened in line with set rules and democratic standards.”