Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has accused former Governors of Ekiti and Ogun States, Kayode Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun, along with Salihu Lukman, a former national vice chairman, North-west, of orchestrating his removal from office as the party’s chairman.
Oshiomhole made these claims during the launch of the book “APC and Transition Politics,” written by Lukman, in Abuja on Tuesday. He recounted how the author alongside some governors spearheaded the campaign that led to his “illegal” removal from office.
Detailing the alleged plot, Oshiomhole spoke about Lukman’s dismissal letters and claimed that the governors used various illegal methods to unseat him due to his efforts to establish party supremacy.
He criticized Lukman’s undemocratic appointment by the governors’ forum, stating that he was not consulted despite being a governor himself.
“Lukman wrote several letters, dismissing my leadership without calling me. When you ride on the back of a tiger, there is only one destination.
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“Lukman was appointed undemocratically by the governors’ forum. I was not consulted— I was a governor. We were told this is the new DG of the APC governors forum.
“I wrote to the governors for a meeting. The governors said no, I should come to Imo House, not the APC office. He [Lukman] was there [where they were holding the meeting]. He did not see anything wrong with that,” Oshiomhole said.
“It felt as though I was in a military barrack,” Oshiomhole said while recalling the atmosphere at the meeting with the governors.
He said following the diatribes from the governors, he responded “None of you can lecture me about the power of a governor. Because I have been governor twice. Eight years uninterrupted.
Recounting his experience during a meeting with the governors, Oshiomhole described the atmosphere as military-like. He asserted, “At a point, I told Fayemi, ‘You did a resit. You were elected and by the second term, you lost. That means you failed’. I did not do a resit, and you are lecturing me about power. I can mention some of them.
“The man in Ogun State, he told me if not for the president, he would have left the party. Some of them told me ‘You are working for your paymaster in Lagos. Your paymaster in Bourdillon.’”
Recounting his experience during a meeting with the governors, Oshiomhole described the atmosphere as military-like. He asserted his authority, reminding Fayemi of his failed re-election bid and rejecting allegations of working for a “paymaster in Lagos” or “Bourdillon,” he disclosed.