Ebun Francis|
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) on Wednesday gave his full backing for the embattled chairman of the party, Adam Oshiohole.
While dismissing the call for the resignation Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Tinubu said party supremacy must be respected as the party chairman has not violated APC constitution or engaged in any anti-party activity that will warrant his resignation or removal from office.
Tinubu made his position known when he took questions from newsmen at the end of a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Abuja.
He said, “We all have to respect the party supremacy. You were all here when we had the Congress, we elected the new executives, we had the convention, the NEC was formed and we surrendered to avoid conflict, to avoid domination, to avoid abuses of power, we surrendered our rights, all rights to the National Working Committee headed by Adams Oshiomhole.
“That the National Working Committee should set up electoral bodies to supervise various state congresses and elections. ‘We signed off for it’.
“So, if it is not in our individual favour, so be it. We gave three options, consensus, where there is no consensus because if you are more than two or three and you cannot agree to one candidate, you go to the next level.
“The next level is the stakeholders’ delegates (system) and you have to be supervised by the National Working Committee of the party, national election committee of the party.
“That shows party supremacy or the freest option, the less cumbersome is to open direct primary, line up and count the number, 1,2,3. If you win, you win and if you fail, go home.’’
The ruling party’s national leader further stated that an appeal committee was set up by the party to look into grievances arising from the conduct of the party’s primaries.
The committee, which served as internal mechanism for conflict resolution, he noted, had performed its duties diligently.
“It was there (appeal committee), you cannot turn round against that, and you cannot turn against all of that.
“No, Party is supreme, party must be respected, abuses will not do it and anger will not do it. It is party politics, somebody will win and somebody will lose, too bad,’’ he added.