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There are indications that Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole may be sanctioned by his party the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), for backing the Peoples' Democratic Party's (PDP) position on the removal of fuel subsidy.
Pointblanknews.com sources hinted that Oshiomole may soon be invited by the party to explain why he should not be sanctioned for his actions, and for hobnobbing with the PDP.
A source who preferred anonymity described the actions of the Edo governor as a betrayal of the people who voted for him in Edo State. The source said Oshiomole would be sanctioned by the party and could pay the price at the next election in Edo.
The Edo Governor who attended the PDP Governors meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential villa Friday , shunned the meeting of the Action Congress of Nigeria governors on Sunday night in Lagos.
Oshiomole had been a very vocal supporter of the very controversial removal of fuel subsidy on January 1 2012.
At a Town Hall Meeting organized by the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria(NPAN), he sought the understanding of Nigerians with the President on the subsidy removal plan.
He said the prevailing condition warrants that the subsidy be removed in order to pave way for the requisite growth in the sector. He also praised the President for the dialogue he had employed so far on the issue.
Oshiomole who has also turned his back of the constituency on whose back he rose to power, the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), has severally kicked organized labor for planning to commence a nationwide strike on Monday. It could be recalled that as NLC president, he led protests against several government policies.
In a telephone chat with pointblanknews.com, ACN spokesman, Lai Mohammed said the party was not unaware of Oshiomole's antics and moves.
According to him " we do not support a sudden removal of fuel subsidy, and we are aware of his position on the issue which is at variance with our party, but whatever discrepancies are proven against him would be resolved internally"
Mohammed said the position of the party has not changed on the issue of subsidy.
He said " they should revisit the letter we wrote to them. We requested more consultation, that the NNPC should be revamped, that refineries should be built in all states, set up infrastructural banks, review of the revenue allocation formula among others. Without all these and other palliatives , removal of subsidy would be rejected"
Meanwhile, the ACN governors met it Lagos last night and reiterated the position of the party.
They said in a communique "In our view, the debate on the fuel subsidy is a narrow one. Subsidy is a financial and economic tool, not an end in itself. We are more concerned about the totality of the economy. For this reason, it is imperative to immediately implement the long-standing demand for fiscal federalism. The first step in this direction is the immediate review of the lopsided revenue allocation formula", they stated.
The governors said they were committed to the welfare and security of the people of their respective states despite the plummeting global economy.