Mass membership resignation hits Edo APC

By OLALEKAN BADMOS

Following unresolved grievances arising from the membership registration and wards and local government congresses of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo state, a political bloc within the party has announced resignation of its members from the party and the government of the state.

The bloc, led by Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former South-South Vice-Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, announced their mass resignation in Benin, the state capital, on Monday.

It was gathered that the motion that preceded the decision was moved by a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, West Ehigie-Idahosa, at a meeting by members of the group held in the ancient city.

Eight local government chairmen of the ruling APC in the state as well as political appointees loyal to the group have since announced their resignation from Governor Adams Oshiomhole's government and disengagement from the party.

It was later gathered that the group may soon declare for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The group had earlier given the governor a seven-day ultimatum to cancel party membership registration exercise held in the state, as well as "the dubious ward and local government congresses conducted by the APC under his watch."‎

In a communique read on behalf of the group, Tony Omoaghe alleged that days after the expiration of the ultimatum given the governor and the party, no attempt was made to address the controversies that led to issuing the ultimatum.

“Nothing has been heard from the appeal panel set up to deal with complaints arising from the sham congresses. There must be an end to the governor’s naked show of power which we daily witnessed in the affairs of the party and indeed in the governance of the whole state. As democrats, we would decide our next line of action in a few days’ time," he said.

However, while reacting to the news of the group’s mass resignation, the Interim state Publicity Secretary of APC, Godwin Erhahon, accused the group of being economical with the truth.

Describing the development as a good omen for the state APC, Erhahon warned the PDP that the defectors were more of ailment than blessing.

"Whereas it was the Ize-Iyamu that was trying to force the governor to manipulate the process to his favour, he has been too economical with the truth when he told the public that it was the governor that manipulated it. We would not have bothered to react, but because he bears the title of a Pastor, it is interesting that his group which claim to be a progressive body has retrogressed in 2014 to swallow their vomit against PDP and Chief Anenih in 2005. And we want to assure PDP that what they have inherited is an ailment and not a blessing. Time shall tell,” he said.