Ibikunle Amosun, a former governor of Ogun State, has accused Adams Oshiomhole, a former national chairman of the APC, of distorting history with his latest claims on his removal from office.
Mr Amosun, in a statement on Wednesday, said Mr Oshiomhole exposed the ruling party to existential threat during his stint as national chairman between 2018 and 2020.
Mr Oshiomhole, now the senator for Edo North, threw the first salvo on Tuesday when he accused some former governors, including Mr Amosun, of masterminding his removal from office.
The former APC chairman, while speaking at the launch of a book, authored by Salihu Lukman, in Abuja, said Mr Amosun and others forced him out using illegal tactics.
The battle between Amosun and Oshiomhole
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Mr Amosun, who was rounding off his second tenure as Ogun State governor, wanted Abiodun Akinlade to succeed him.
However, Mr Oshiomhole, in his role as national chairman, opposed the move by Mr Amosun. Subsequently, Dapo Abiodun emerged as the candidate of the party and went on to win the governorship election.
Mr Oshiomhole also had a similar fallout with Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who wanted his son-in-law, Nwosu as his successor. However, like in Ogun State, the Imo governor lost out.
In 2020, Mr Oshiomhole was forced out of his position during a battle with his protege, Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo State.
Why we kicked Oshiomhole out — Amosun
Mr Amosun, also a former senator, accused Mr Oshiomhole of conducting fraudulent primaries ahead of the 2019 primary election.
“I can boldly say that the party under Adams Oshiomhole conducted one of the worst primaries in the history of Nigeria’s contemporary politics and ended up shopping for his own enemies, leading to his eventual removal as chairman of our party,” he said.
He added that Mr Oshiomhole, also earned sufficient enemies because of the primary elections which eventually led to his removal.
Mr Amosun advised the former APC chairman to sit down and take a stock of his past in order to be guided in future public utterances.
“My honest advice to him is to carefully and soberly sit down to take stock of his past so that it will continue to serve as a guide for him in his future public utterances rather than dragging the names of innocent people into a needless controversy because in Africa, age and leadership are associated with wisdom,” the former Ogun governor said.
Read Mr Amosun’s statement in full
AMUSE YOURSELF NOT THE PUBLIC: AMOSUN TO OSHIOMHOLE
It’s been a struggle since yesterday on what to make of the ‘tales by moonlight’ that Senator Adams Oshiomhole treated the audience of Dr. Salihu Lukman, to at his book launch, “APC and Transition Politics”, in Abuja.
This apparent struggle was not for want of a proportional response to his deliberate drivel, but because not only was his story fraught with lies but also because he did not boast the requisite integrity to say the truth.
Besides, it is not in my character to join issues with people I consider qualified enough to be referred to as both Leaders of our party, APC and of this great country, Nigeria, to which I believe Senator Oshiomhole belongs.
However, given his antecedents and penchant for careless and most times, baseless and unverified public statements, and also considering my duty to the country and the public in particular, it will be uncharitable if I fail to put the records straight.
What Senator Oshiomhole was alleged to have said, apart from being far from the truth, is a calculated attempt to present water while drinking wine. The Yoruba adage says “If you let a madman bury his mum the way it pleases him, he could roast her for a meal.” At that point, the community is to blame for his choice.
Indeed, listening to him yesterday, his utterances represent some inherent inadequacy, which he vented, not just at inauspicious times, but without basis and predicated only on lies to hoodwink the unsuspecting.
There is no doubt that I have participated fully in the formation and sustenance of our party, the APC, and I can boldly say that the party under Adams Oshiomhole conducted one of the worst primaries in the history of Nigeria’s contemporary politics and ended up shopping for his own enemies, leading to his eventual removal as Chairman of our party. Nigerians should not be in a hurry to forget the allegations that preceded the conduct of those primaries and his eventual invitation by the Department of State Service, DSS, to clarify certain grave allegations.
If anyone was in doubt that Senator Oshiomhole posed the biggest and most destructive threat to the existence of the APC at that time, and the party’s best bet was to dispose of a canon folder that he was and unfortunately still is, his utterances and grandstanding yesterday at an occasion to find solutions to our democratic and party challenges, would have cleared such mindset.
If he wanted to insult our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, he could have come out boldly to do so. But his subtle attempt to pass snide remarks at him failed the simple test of loyalty because the former president also moved from his own party to merge with other like-minds to form the APC.
Also, if he is seeking favour from the presidency, why not come out and do so? But to tell barefaced lies that, “You are working for your paymaster in Lagos, paymaster in Bourdillon,” is cheap but typical of an individual, who suddenly found himself where he never dreamt of, despite his obvious limitations – education and exposure.
If the public will remember, soon after Senator Oshiomhole was sworn in as a Senator, he allegedly said members of the 9th Senate had vandalized their offices before leaving, only for him to eat the humble pie and made to apologise later when it was obvious that the allegations were baseless.
READ ALSO: How Fayemi, governors removed me as APC national chairman Oshiomhole
My honest advice to him is to carefully and soberly sit down to take stock of his past so that it will continue to serve as a guide for him in his future public utterances rather than dragging the names of innocent people into a needless controversy because in Africa, age and leadership are associated with wisdom.
This is also why I have consistently brushed aside and intentionally scoffed at his tongue-in-cheek apology, which he had extended to me several times. I am now convinced it was not genuine.
In the final analysis, BACKGROUND MATTERS!
Senator Ibikunle Amosun, CON, FCA
Abeokuta, Ogun State
20 December, 2023
Read the full article here
