NATIONAL chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has warned state chapters of the party not to project the interest of any of the aspirants seeking for the party candidate.
He made the declaration on Wednesday while addressing state chairmen of the party in Abuja ahead of its primaries to pick its standard bearers. The governorship primary is slated to hold on Saturday across the states.
Oshiomhole who further disclosed that the meeting was necessary to present the state chapters with party register expressed concern that his national working committee has received petitions accusing state executive chapters of compromising their offices.
He further disclosed that his leadership would not hesitate to dissolve state chapters that turned the party secretariat to appendage of campaign offices of their preferred candidates.
He said: “The membership register is available and it is going to be distributed to you as leaders of the party in the State.
We have observed that many of you are seemingly playing to the powers that be in your state.
We expect you in turn that these registers are distributed in the wards and therefore we shall send the membership cards. They are not to be distributed to only those you like. We will owe you responsible for hoarding and mutilation of the register.
“I believe you are all men of honour but the actions of some of you portray you as partisan. You may have your preferences but you must be seen to be neutral. You are stewards of the party, you are not the owners of the party. At our level here, we aren’t at liberty to declare anybody as presidential candidate.
That’s the role you are expected to play at the state. You are not to pick anybody as governorship candidate. You must keep your preferences to yourself. We have the power to dissolve any state executive that we see as having compromised.
You are not to carry anyone on your head. If you do so, we aren’t only going to dissolve you but prosecute you for breach of oath of office.
So, please, note the difference between your responsibility to the party and your inner preference. Until somebody emerges as the flagbearer of the party you are not to associate with him to the extent that others will feel that they don’t stand a chance.
If we manage everything well, we shall earn the respect of the electorate. If you help to foist an unpopular candidate, the party will certainly lose the general elections. We have seen unpopular candidates lose elections.
