APC Says Suspension of Amosun, Okorocha Will Not Affect Party’s Victory

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the suspension of Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, would not negatively affect the party’s chances in the March 9 governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, stated this on Friday in Abuja while reacting to the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to suspend the two governors.

The NWC also suspended the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, over alleged anti-party activities.

Issa-Onilu argued that allowing influential members to openly work against APC candidates would pose a greater threat to the party’s electoral chances than suspending them.

“The real negative effect would come if we allowed members who are in positions of influence to undermine our candidates,” he said.

He warned other party members that the APC was closely monitoring their activities and would take disciplinary action against anyone found working against its candidates.

According to him, the suspensions should not have come as a surprise because Amosun and Okorocha had repeatedly supported candidates contesting against those officially recognised by the APC.

In Ogun State, Amosun openly supported Adekunle Akinlade, governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), against APC candidate Dapo Abiodun.

Similarly, in Imo State, Okorocha backed his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA), instead of APC governorship candidate Hope Uzodinma.

Issa-Onilu said the party had initially attempted to resolve the disagreements internally and had issued warnings and queries to the governors before taking disciplinary action.

He maintained that both Amosun and Okorocha attained their positions through the APC platform and therefore should not use their influence to undermine the party.

According to him, discipline and respect for party rules were essential to strengthening internal democracy.

“No matter the position an individual occupies, the party cannot look the other way when its rules and constitution are violated,” he said.

The APC spokesman also recalled the party’s presidential campaign rally in Ogun State, where President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders faced hostility from sections of the crowd.

He alleged that individuals who were not APC members had been brought to the venue with the support of the state governor and said the incident embarrassed the President.

Issa-Onilu explained that the party decided not to take immediate disciplinary action at the time because it did not want internal disagreements to affect the presidential and National Assembly elections.

However, he said the governors failed to use the opportunity to demonstrate remorse and instead continued publicly supporting candidates from other political parties.

“Whichever way you look at it, that is anti-party activity. It is beyond the limit,” he said.

Issa-Onilu also explained that Osita Okechukwu was suspended over activities the party believed had undermined the APC in Enugu State, while the Niger Delta minister was accused of similar offences.

He said the NWC had recommended further disciplinary action against those suspended but explained that only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had the authority to expel members.

“The limit of the powers of the NWC is suspension. It does not have the power to expel. Only NEC can take that action,” he said.

He added that the findings of the party’s investigation would be forwarded to NEC for consideration.

The APC also issued a query to Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu over alleged anti-party activities, with Issa-Onilu saying the party had obtained video evidence relating to the allegations.

However, on then Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, the spokesman said the party had no evidence that he had worked against APC candidates.

He acknowledged that Shittu had grievances with the party and was entitled to express them, but stressed that criticism alone did not amount to anti-party activity.

Issa-Onilu maintained that the suspensions would strengthen rather than weaken the APC ahead of the March 9 elections by demonstrating that no member was above the party’s rules.