Lucky Obukohwo ReportingÂ
Nine political heavyweight and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Esan Central LGA have been quarantined from the party’s activities at an extraordinary meeting held, Monday, at Irrua, the LGA headquarters for allegedly working against the interest of the party.
The suspended leaders include APC State Vice Chairman, Chief Francis Inegbeniki, Esan Central foremost Party Leader, Prince Willy Shaka Momodu, Ward Leader, Hon Abudu Ugbesia, and six others.
The suspended nine APC leaders are alleged to have held a clandestine meeting at an hotel in Eidenu, Irrua on the eve of the House of Assembly election and resolved to work against their party candidate for the House of Assembly election, Hon Victor Edoror.
It is alleged that they were induced by the ruling party and their grand conspiracy to disallow Hon Edoror to get into the House and become the Speaker which might scuttle their agenda for Esan governor candidate from Esan Central LGA.
The extraordinary meeting which was attended enmass by aggrieved members and party executives across the LGA appointed former LGA Councillior, and House of Assembly election aspirant, Hon. Bello Oyaziwolo, as the acting Leader, to oversee the affairs of the party pending the determination of the investigation into the degree of involvement of each of the suspended leader.
Interestingly, the Deputy Leader of the Party in Esan Central LGA and former Vice Chairman of the LGA, Hon Francis Ubene, was exempted from suspension because preliminary investigation revealed that he was in the meeting allegedly called by Chief Inegbeniki, but he refused to agree with their alleged plan to sabotage the election for Hon Edoror because according to him “I have forgiven him and if I have forgiven him, I cannot work against him.
When contacted via telephone, the state publicity secretary, APC, said he has not been able to confirm the authenticity of the report as he is just reading it. He however promised to confirm from the state chairman who is also from that senatorial district, while a direct call to the state chairman was hindered by network challenge.
Meanwhile the newly appointed Leader, Hon. Bello Oyaziwolo, was reported to have said that he was not interested in Leading the party for selfish reasons but would commit himself to helping the party rid itself of betrayals and inept leaders in the LGA and hopefully allow a free process to produce the next LGA Leader.