APC suspends lawmaker-elect in Edo

The All Progressives Congress(APC) in Uhunmwode local government has suspended Barr. Washington Osifo for breach of article 21 (A) of the party’s constitution.

Barr. Osifo is one the 13 lawmakers-elect allegedly backed by Governor Adams Oshiomhole that refused to present himself for inauguration as a member of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Leaders of the APC in Uhunmwode had last week issued ultimatum to Osifo to present himself before Speaker Frank Okiye to be sworn-in.

The leaders had said the constituency could not afford its representative to be absent at plenary.

A communique issued at the end of an enlarged meeting of APC in Uhunmwode and signed by 35 party executives and leaders, the party said that Barr. Osifo was suspended over actions that “clearly violated Article 21 (a), (iii) and (iv) of the Constitution of All Progressives Congress, 2014 as amended.”

Those that attended the meeting were all executives of the ten (10) wards, local government and State Executive representatives, council chairman, vice chairman, councillors, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants to the governor, commissioners and leaders.

According to the communique, “We the concerned executives of the party hereby referred to the meeting held on June 8th, 2019, advised Barr. Washington Osa Osifo not to go against the rules of our party constitution.

“We have looked into the activities of Barr. Washington Osa Osifo, which were a clear violation of Article 21(A), (III) and (IV) of the constitution of All Progressives Congress (APC) 2014 as amended, the Local Government and ward executives considered the chairman’s brief based on the committee’s report.

“Consequently, it was unanimously agreed that Barr. Washington Osa Osifo’s actions constituted a breach of the provisions of the APC constitution above referred, and therefore approved his suspension from the party.

“All members of APC in Uhunmwode LGA and members of APC in Edo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria are hereby informed of this suspension after the expiration of the one week warning, which he failed to respond to as directed by the APC party leaders of Uhunmwode Local Government, hence the suspension.”

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Reacting to the suspension, Barr. Osifo the leaders that signed the communique have earlier been suspended by a majority of party members.

Barr. Osifo said Mr. Charles Idahosa that engineered the meeting was not a member of the APC having stepped aside from APC activities in 2017.

“I have not seen where Charles Idahosa said he has returned to the APC. The suspension is laughable because it cannot stand.

“They think it is their prerogative to own the APC. I challenged them to state what they have done for Uhunmwode people. I will never boot lick. What exactly have I breech? Is it my courage to speak truth to power and reject minority rule in the Edo State House of Assembly.

“They want to stand on the head of justice. Membership of a political party is voluntary. Those that signed the suspension have been suspended. They should be ashamed that Uhunmwode is underdeveloped.”