Former Deputy Speaker of Edo State, Paul Ohonbamu has alleged that the violence that was demonstrated on Saturday, during the All-Progressives Party, APC election primaries should be blamed on Adams Oshiomole and the Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma, who is the chairman of the party’s electoral committee.
Ohonbamu, in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, said Oshiomole went about telling people that one of the aspirants, Dennis Idahosa, must emerge as the party Candidate. He also faulted Uzodinma for announcing the Idahosa as the candidate amidst the violence, instead of the returning officer.
“The real problem lies with the political parties who ought to be democracy gatekeepers. You must ensure that dangerous elements are not allowed to go close to the centre of power.
“As for Adams Oshiomole, I am particularly bothered and shocked. He is the one who told the people that Dennis Idahosa must be the candidate. It’s everywhere. He is the one and you cannot tell me that his position cannot sway people.
“Until that Saturday, Adams Oshiomole was the leader of the party and he has the right to tell anybody to vote for anybody but for him to take further steps. All those who perpetuated the violence are all from one side. Somebody leading cannot disrupt a process that favours him. Adams Oshiomole and his friend, Hope Uzodimma should be blamed for the violence in Edo APC Primaries.
“What happened on Saturday clearly showed that we have more people who are only authoritarian politicians claiming to be democrats because the way they wanted to truncate a peaceful process shows clearly that these were democracy assassins. They started it clearly, some local governments were coming in with results, about 8 local governments came, up to 9 and they discovered that the man from the Edo central was leading and then they brought in thugs to truncate the whole process.
“Hope Uzodimma as the chair, is the ceremonial head and not the one to declare results and even if you want to declare the results, the process must be clear enough. How did you get your results? Who brought them to you? I think the process leading to the emergence of a candidate is always critical to his acceptability. It is something that the party must look into. One man cannot just superimpose a candidate on a party because a man cannot be greater than a party.
“It is the party that will determine who will represent them and that is the problem now. They hurriedly came up with figures, written on a mere piece of paper and read out. It’s all fraud and they are democracy assassins”
Also, while speaking on APC chairman’s congratulatory message to Dennis Idahosa posted online, the former Edo State Speaker said the letter was most likely concocted.
“I saw the post on social media and not the conventional media and I thought they just concocted that because the social media as you know is a promiscuous facilitator. The national chairman cannot be congratulating one person. The process you put in place brought out more than 3 people. You just investigate how three people came to be claiming victory.
“Somebody cannot claim victory without scoring. so, I don’t believe the chairman did that. He couldn’t have done it. From today, we know a definite statement will come from them, because it is in our own enlightened self interest in APC to do the right thing.”
Chioma Kalu
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