If President Buhari condones disrespect, I ’ll not, says Oshiomhole

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole says if President Muhammadu condones disrespect for his office, he, as the chairman of the ruling party will not.

Ngige had told Oshiomhole that he would not hurriedly inaugurate the board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) because of an alleged N40 billion corruption scandal involving the former board.

 While speaking on Monday, Oshiomhole said Ngige’s conduct constitutes a lack of respect for the president and the party and could lead to his dismissal from the party and his cabinet position.

He said, “If the minister refuses, we will suspend him from the party. For me it is the height of mischief for any minister, you cannot purport to be an honourable minister and you act dishonourably and nobody is greater than the party.

“And if the President condones disrespect for his office, I will not condone disrespect for the party. And when we expel the minister we will prevail on the president that he can’t keep him in his cabinet; people who have neither respect for his own decisions nor have respect for the party without which they would not have been ministers.

Oshiomhole also extended the dismissal threat to Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who has also failed to inaugurate some boards under his ministry, expressing his displeasure for ministers who are abusing the powers of their office.

He said the party will not tolerate such an abuse and will expel any minister who violates the constitution.

“So, we are informing them that it is either they comply to the president’s instructions or they comply with the party’s position or they go and administer outside the government.

He said when erring ministers are expelled from the party, there’ll be no way such a ‘rebel’ will be kept in the cabinet.