Edo APC Dismisses Ex-Reps Minority Whip’s Suspension

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Umagbae South Ward 6 in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State Wednesday passed a vote of confidence on a former Whip of the House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Samson Osagie.

The vote of confidence followed Monday’s viral report that the APC chieftain had been suspended by APC executives in his Ward under the chairmanship of Hon. Osawe Osayemwenre and 11 others.

Osagie, who was the Director of Contact and Mobilization, South-South Zone, for the APC Presidential Campaign Council had earlier described the suspension as illegal and against Article 21 of the party’s constitution.

But, reacting to the Hon. Osawe Osayemwenre-led executives’ action against Osagie, the chairman of the party in Umagbae South Ward 6, Hon. Clifford Igbineweka and 40 others met and passed a vote of implicit confidence on the former federal lawmaker.

In a letter endorsed by the Chairman, Clifford Igbineweka and addressed to the Edo State Chairman of the Party, Col. David Imuse, condemned the suspension while urging the party’s leadership to disregard the said suspension.

Part of letter reads, “That the complaints against Rt Hon Samson Osagie, neither emanated from his unit, nor ward, nor from the ward Executive of Umagbse South Ward (6) of Uhunmwode Local Government Area where Rt Hon Samson Osagie is a party leader and a registered voter.

“That, prior to the elections, no political meeting was called at any level that Hon Samson was invited that he never attended.

“That to the best of our knowledge RT Hon Samson Osagie campaigned for the party and its candidates prior to the elections and worked assiduously for the party and &s candidates in ail the elections physically and using his hard-earned money to fund campaigns to different units in his ward (ward 6) and supported some other wards physically and financially.”

They also called on the State Chairman and Executives of the party to disregard and discountenance the purported and laughable suspension, adding that it was malicious and against the Constitution of the party and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.