The crisis in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new twist with the suspension of the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

The decision followed the vote of no confidence reportedly passed on Mr Oshiomhole on Tuesday by the Chairmen of the APC in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

A statement jointly signed by the APC Chairman and Assistant Secretary in Edo, Anselm Ojezua and Ikuenobe Anthony, respectively explained that Oshiomhole was suspended for his alleged role in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

“Consequent on the development, the State Executive Committee has adopted the vote of no confidence passed on him and the subsisting suspension order from the organs of the party in the state”.

“The vote of no confidence on Oshiomhole and the suspension are the fallout of his role in trying to disintegrate the party in Edo State,” it said.

The state party chieftains stressed that the suspension was necessary to prevent a repeat of what happened in Zamfara State, where the APC was unable to field any candidate in 2019 general elections.

The statement added, “Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in Edo APC. We have passed a vote of no confidence in him and he stands suspended from the party.

“We don’t want what happened in Zamfara State or other parts of the country to happen in Edo State.”

In another statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the body and Etsako West Chairman, Ibrahim Akokia, as well as his Etsako Central and Owan West counterparts, Suleiman Bagudu and Lugard Alukpe respectively, the 18 LGA Chairmen of APC in Edo distanced themselves from Oshiomhole’s suspension.

They insisted that they were not aware of such a meeting where a vote of no confidence was passed on Oshiomhole who they said was “doing very well”.

On the contrary, they accused the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, of harassment and intimidation, adding that his actions could pull down the APC in the state.

They, therefore, called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to expel Governor Obaseki from the party over allegations of anti-party activities.