By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has asked critics to leave Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, and the Rivers State chapter of the political party out of the crisis facing the suspended national chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole.
In a statement, the erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) described the crisis facing the former Governor of Edo State as “self-inflicting woes,” stressing that Mr Amaechi should not be dragged into it.
He expressed satisfaction over the court’s validation and elongation of Mr Victor Giadom’s stay in office as acting national chairman of the APC.
The party chieftain felicitated with Mr Giadom, describing the court’s action as a step in the right direction for the service of justice and a fantastic alternative to addressing the avalanche of crisis rocking the party across the country.
He said the court’s action has laid to rest all speculations and uncertainties about the leadership of the party and the legitimate occupant of the party’s national chair, which has been in unnecessary contention since the exit of Mr Oshiomhole.
While calling Mr Hillard Eta and few members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to respect court pronouncements and orders, Mr Eze cautioned Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, an appointee of Mr Oshiomhole that any further statement not approved by Mr Giadom will be an affront to constituted authority and will no longer be tolerated with kid’s glove anymore.
He averred that the rush by Mr Oshiomhole and others to visit several courts scouting for court judgement in order to overturn the judgement given to Mr Giadom will end in futility.
The politician pleaded with Mr Eta and others to support Mr Giadom to enable him reposition the party on the path of true progress, stressing that the APC is a party built on justice and rule of law.
“The problem with those that have been promoting crisis in APC through erstwhile national chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is their ignorance of whom Victor Giadom is, thereby attributing what he is doing to Amaechi.
“Chief Giadom is a full-fledged man who knows his onus so far political intricacies are concerned. Though he is a principal in Amaechi’s political college, he has distinguished himself as a political Iroko capable of handling his own political destiny on his own,” he said.
Accordingly, the party stalwart cautioned Mr Joe Igbokwe, Mr Oshiomhole and those they represent to leave the Minister out of the current situation in the APC, stressing that Mr Amaechi is very preoccupied and busy with national assignments and delivering on every mandate touching on his office with visible results across the country.
He said those who have taken time out to understudy Mr Giadom are aware that he is the unsung political bulldozer from Rivers State capable of crushing all the undemocratic elements trying to destabilize the APC and appealed to all and sundry to respect and support him to salvage the party from the mess that Mr Oshiomhole and those pushing him have put the party into.
The party chief counselled his brother-in-law, the Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodinma, to distance himself from any act in the Edo APC crisis capable of rubbing dirt on his image and urged him to channel his support to Mr Giadom to recover all the losses of the party.
Mr Eze thanked God for reviving his good friend, Mr Abiola Ajimobi and pleaded with those prompting him into political eclipse to leave him out of APC imbroglio oiled by the former Governor of Edo State and his cohorts so that he can properly recuperate.
He called on party faithful and Nigerians in general to remember Mr Ajimobi in prayers for his quick recovery.
The party chief maintained that Mr Giadom has come to stay, stressing that those scheming for his removal should stop wasting their time and invest same on meaningful ventures.
Adedapo Adesanya