… Alleges Oshiomhole – led NWC left N340m legal debt
… No comment – Oshiomhole
By Ezeocha Nzeh
As the party leadership crisis in the ruling All progressives Congress ( APC), festers, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, former Chief of Staff to the former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Friday revealed that the account of the ruling party was garnished under his former boss as the APC National Chairman, as a result of debts owed to party’s legal clients.
This is even as the former Oredo Local Gvernment representative at the National Assembly also alleged that the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee left N340 million debts for the party.
Obahiagbon stated this at a press conference in Abuja, where he called for the support of APC stakeholders for the achievements of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni .
However, in a swift reaction the former APC National Chairman said he was not going to react to the allegations.
Asked to speak on the allegations, Oshiomhole through his Special Assistant on Media, Victor Oshioke said: “No comment”
Obahiagbon, in his speech, said, “When the CECPC came on board, there was an inherited liability of unpaid legal fees to the tune of Three Hundred and Forty Million Naira (N340,000,000.00) leading to occasional garnishing of the party account. The CECPC subsequently invited all the legal firms who were involved in the matters and negotiated and brought down the fees to One Hundred and Seventy Nine Million Naira (N179,000,000.00) which is now fully paid.
“l am also aware of and will wish to inform you all, that when the CECPC came on board, the building currently housing the party national secretariat was on a lease. The previous NEC of the Party had approved the purchase of the property at the cost of Two Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N2,500,000,000) out of which, initial payment of One Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira (N115,000,000) was made. I am glad to proudly inform you that the CECPC has concluded payment of the outstanding balance and has taken over the ownership of the building and has approved the naming of the secretariat “BUHARI HOUSE” in honor of the meritorious service of Mr. President to both the party and the country.”
The former Chief of Staff to Oshiomhole said there was no reason to compare Oshiomhole led NWC to Buni led CECPC as the two operated at different times.
He said,” l want to say to you that the two adminstrations came into the life of our party at different times and different circumstances. So, there will be no basis at all for me to begin to draw comparison. But the achievements of this Caretaker Committee, I have already stated achievements inseriatin!”
Hon. Obahiagbon also dismissed the insinuations that the Caretaker was planning to complete the Oshiomhole’s tenure next year, noting that as CH claims cannot be substantiated, going by the commencement f ward Congresses by the Mai Mala Buni led caretaker committee.
He said that the CECPC has started the processes of conducting the National Convention and said the party members should support the processes.
He also called on party members to make use of the Ward Congresses Appeal Committee to seek redress over the congress.
