How Corruption is Fighting Back - Oshiomhole reacts to R-APC Emergence

 

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has described the emergence of ‘Reformed APC’ (rAPC) as corruption fight back.

 

Earlier in the week, a break-away faction of aggrieved members of the ruling party emerged self-styling itself as ‘Reformed APC’

 

During its formation the rAPC described their former party as worst than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 

The faction largely made up of National Assembly members is led by Buba Galadima, a former leader of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party to the signatory of a merger which saw the formation of the ruling party.

 

Mr Oshiomhole disclosed his opinion on the matter while addressing a delegation who claimed to be state chairmen of the CPC that came to disassociate themselves from the rebellious rAPC, on Friday.

 

The APC chairman who had earlier pleaded with the aggrieved members to be patient told his audience that the party could emerge victorious in the coming general election without the inputs of the splinter group.

 

“For me, there is no cause for alarm; nobody should panic over one Baba Galadima, whose group, I believe, cannot define us in the next election in 2019. Nigerians are wiser, they know that corruption is fighting back, they also know that President Buhari’s resolve to fight corruption must elicit a counter force and that force must find attraction in some people,” Oshiomhole said.

 

“But like we have rightly said, we should not be distracted and we encourage the president not to be distracted. He must remain focused and sustain the fight and I believe the rebellion will be crushed using the superior power of argument, persuading our people not to forget in a hurry where we are coming from,” he stressed.

 

Oshiomhole who emerged the chairman in the recently held national convention of the party had in his acceptance speech, acknowledged that the party had challenges, but promised they would be addressed.

 

Also, the splinter group had in their grievances noted that the process by which the former Edo governor emerged was unconstitutional judging from the constitution of the APC.

 

While reacting to Oshiomhole’s remarks about the rAPC being inconsequential, Mr Galadima, on a national television, said it was the ruling party members that lacked integrity and honesty.

 

The group also boasted of possessing enormous strength in the National Assembly to impeach anyone if there was need to do so.

 

“On that side, there is no man of integrity and honesty as Buba Galadima. Those of us that had sacrificed our sweat and blood cannot sit idly and watch these values destroyed, this is the beginning of what is called crisis in the party,” the leader of the splinter group boasted.

“We believe that all the values and visions of APC have been thrown to the dustbin. Nigerians from all walks of life have shown solidarity with us and for those who said that they are not losing sleep, why are they going cap in hand to the National Assembly.

“I want to say that today as I sit here, if I give a directive to our members in the National Assembly to impeach for constitutional infractions, it would be carried out because we have that majority,” he added.

 

Earlier, the leader of CPC delegation, Umar Shuaibu said contrary to insinuations from the opposition that the outcome of APC’s National Convention would lead to the disintegration of the APC, “it is to their dismay that we have not only come out successful, but have produced a National Chairman of the caliber of Comrade Adams Oshiomole.

 

“We wish to disassociate ourselves from the rAPC and their opposition to the President Muhammadu Buhari.”