The assertions nonetheless, Vanguard checks have revealed a major crack within the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party. It was gathered that the cracks began when Oshiomhole tried to force the mode of primaries on the NWC. The most virulent opposition came from the North East Zonal Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, who was said to have asked Oshiomhole not to interfere in the affairs of the party in the latter’s home state, Adamawa. Things, however, got worse following what an insider described as attempts to run down the Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who also chairs the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. The party chairman had accused the governor of using state agents to rig the botched primaries in the state.
Oshiomhole thereafter dissolved the executives of the party in the state down to the local government level. “This was what infuriated the Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Lawali Shaibu who was obviously not carried along in taking such a major decision. Of course, he protested to the point of even denouncing the dissolution of the executives”, a party insider said last night. NWC members not students According to him, the only way there will be harmony in the NWC is for Oshiomhole to stop treating members as if they were his students. “We have our national secretariat, but he drags us to his private office for most of our meetings. We initially thought it was something that would be once in a while, but it has now become the pattern. “When you have a dissenting opinion on an issue, you are viewed as an enemy. We all represent different flanks within the party, and we cannot forget our constituents in a hurry, but when you talk, they say you want to make trouble”, he added.
Another member of the House, E.J Agbonayinma, representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State said: “Well, those who are making those derogatory statements are out to witch-hunt or blackmail Oshomohole, and, of course, you don’t expect anything good from the PDP because they are worried. “Oshiomhole has taken the mantle not just as the national chairman of our great party; he is also going to lead us to victory, come 2019. Since he came in, you can see he has won the elections that have been conducted so far.” ‘’How can you now be saying that PDP will take over? I don’t believe that Nigerians are sleeping. They know better. It is only PDP that has a short memory. They have forgotten how they plundered Nigerian resources and of a sudden, they are talking about getting power back. How can they win?”
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