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Tag: Oshiomhole

  • We will subject Buhari, governors to party constitution – Oshiomhole

    Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari and other public officers elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) will be expected to conduct governance in a proper and effective way.

    Oshimhole, who is a leading aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, stated this while addressing young members of APC ahead of the party’s national convention slated for Saturday.

    The former governor said his leadership would subject every member of the party, especially those elected on its platform, to the party constitution.

    He said: “My hope is that, if by the special grace of God I become the National Chairman, we do need to be very clear about all these and other issues and that anyone elected on our platform, including the President will be expected to conduct government and governance in a way that promote the core values of progressive governance.

    “The current confusion where we appear to be the opposition to ourselves is not acceptable. We have majority in the National Assembly and control 24 out of 36 states and yet, when you read the papers, it appears that the opposition is so hopelessly weak and the APC has become an opposition to itself.

    “This is because people are doing their own stuff without a common understanding of the basis of our mutual contract. The contract between members of the APC as contained in two important documents which are the constitution and manifesto of the party.

    “Given the privilege, we will subject everyone to the dictates of our constitution and remain faithful to the manifesto of the party on the basis of which we were elected by Nigerians.”

     

  • Between Oshiomhole and the desperadoes

    Steven Igbinosu

    Louis, your column of May 16, 2018 entitled “Verily, Oyegun’s cry-babies need a nose-wipe” refers. I must say that I agree substantially with your submissions in the article under reference. However, one critical point I thought you missed is that the whole drama of mischief we are currently witnessing on the political landscape, particularly in the countdown to the historic APC national convention of June 23, is not being engineered only by those you refer to Oyegun’s “cry babies”, but also a motley crowd of PDP agents in Edo State who see the emergence of Adams Aliu Oshiomhole as National Chairman of APC as their political funeral.

    I am making this assertion with the insight of a home-based retired civil servant and a keen follower of political trends in Edo State right from 1999 to date and, therefore, can call myself a witness of truth.

    As we say in Bini, it is the rat at home that sends signal to the ones in the bush to come in and feast. The renegades within APC who view the fall of our amiable Chief Odigie Oyegun as APC National Chairman as the loss of their meal ticket are unhappy at the development and so have joined the PDP mischief-makers in their campaign of falsehood with the myopic assumption that their tales-by-the-moonlight will be enough to stop the oncoming train which Oshiomhole has become.

    Well, keen observers of Edo politics would not have been surprised by this dramatic turn of events, given that Edo PDP leaders were recently arraigned by EFCC in Edo court over alleged receipt of hundreds of million of Naira from Dasukigate on the eve of the 2015 general elections. Money meant to procure arms and ammunition for our troops fighting Boko Haram was, to borrow President Muhammadu Buhari’s phrase, shared out like buffet by these unconscionable politicians.

    Having spent a weekend in Oko Prisons before perfecting their bail, we knew these shameless political actors would fight back dirty.

    In the recent times, no lies seem too ludicrous to tell by these desperadoes, forgetting that he who God Has Blessed politically, no man can curse. The latest in their series of mischief is the petition being circulated in the social media and a section of the media accusing Comrade Oshiomhole of all crimes imaginable under the sun, an unimaginative rehash of the lies told on the eves of 2012, 2015 and 2016 polls.  By the time you calculate the various sums they are accusing Oshiomhole of “stealing” as governor in Edo, you begin to wonder if the entire cash earnings of Edo in 20 years can even equal that.

    Smart propagandists, these mischief-makers came up with an innovation this time by branding the latest petitioner a “Bishop”. But their cunny failed them in the sense that this “Bishop” is of no known church or temple in Edo State or anywhere in Nigeria.

    Well, it is all familiar dirty tactic PDP has perfected and would apply on the eve of any election. Going through the funny petition composed by the “Bishop”, one cannot but be assailed by too many contractions and illogicalities. On the one hand, it is insinuated that impropriety was committed by the governor in “acquiring” Federal Government’s land. In another breath, it was stated that the governor actually issued a personal bank cheque payable to Edo State Government. Then, the “Bishop” expressed wonder where the governor got the money in his personal account from! As if Comrade had not worked and earned income legitimately all his life! Thank God, the “Bishop” did not stretch his warped imagination further by claiming a dud cheque was issued.

    There is another hear-say about the “Abuja palace” Oshiomhole built to serve as his new abode after completing his tenure in 2016. This had formed the basis of another frivolous petition to the ICPC. We are aware that when ICPC conscientiously took up the matter, the petitioner eventually grew dumb as he could not provide the address of the said property or even the photograph!

    But the more they had persecuted Oshio Baba, the more popular he seemed to get. Not only did he disgrace the “godfathers” by winning landslide (18/18) in 2012, he succeeded in ensuring victory for his party, APC, in 2015 despite the deployment of “federal might”. It was only in Edo that APC had 45 percent in the presidential election in the South-South while some states in the region could not even boast of 5 percent. Thanks to Oshiomhole’s popularity and aggressive campaign skills.

    It will not be an exaggeration to describe Oshiomhole as perhaps the most investigated governor in Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999. For being so vocal against the “PDP godfathers”, no measure was considered too extreme to use against the Comrade as the governor of opposition state of Edo while PDP was in power at the federal level. In fact, the present deputy governor of Edo State, Right Honorable Philip Shuaibu, a notable Oshiomhole’s supporter, was once detained in police cell over a spurious allegation that he did not graduate from University of Jos. Just as another political ally of the governor was incarcerated for a whole week over a laughable charge of a discrepancy in the name of the hospital he claimed to have been born. Just to tell you the extent this political desperadoes could go in seeking to hurt Oshiomhole.

    Given our short memory, many may have forgotten now; but twice Oshiomhole’s scheduled flight on helicopter was aborted at the Benin airport ahead of the 2015 general elections following “orders from above”.

    In order to hang him, petitions alleging “massive theft” were being churned out and addressed to EFCC and ICPC almost on daily basis by the same PDP elements to get at Oshiomhole since he proved invincible at the polls. To the extent that, at some point, engineers from Federal Ministry of Works under Mike Onolememen (the protege of the godfather, Chief Tony Anenih) were dispatched to Edo to measure and verify the bills of quantity listed in the contracts awarded by the state government. In broad daylight, these engineers from Abuja were carrying tape-rule and sweating all over the place including the Benin Airport Road like colonial overlords auditing the district officers.

    They did not stop there. Who has forgotten how PDP procured some lawmakers in the state assembly and with a minority were beginning to fine-tune an impeachment plot in their desperation to get Oshiomhole. Backed by police controlled by then ruling PDP, the minority of 9 lawmakers took over the assembly complex! While the majority of 16 lawmakers had to relocate the Edo Government House for their safety.

    Almost on a regular basis then, Edo officials including commissioners of finance, environment and Accountant General were guests of anti-graft agencies in Abuja where they were subjected to all kind of intimidation and humiliation with a view to extracting anything that could be used against the governor.

    At the end, they found nothing to incriminate Oshiomhole. In anger, I recall that Oshiomhole then threw a challenge to the then President Goodluck Jonathan to make public how much the Federal Government was paying per cubic feet of asphalt and concrete to be compared to how much Edo State Government was paying to show who was more prudent and frugal with public funds. This was because both FG and EDSG were using the same contractors in the state namely RCC and Setraco. I can’t remember the PDP Federal Government taking up this challenge then. In fact, what soon came to light was that whereas the Oshiomhole administration had turned down an invoice of N140m sent by one of the contractors for the construction of a culvert in Benin City on the grounds that it was excessive, Federal Ministry of Work gave out the same job with the same specifications for N280m!

    Today, among the fake Bishop’s writ is also the old fable of Oshiomhole’s “N20b mansion in Iyahmo”. Of course, everyone knows Oshiomhole’s existing country home located on the roadside in Iyamho originally built in 1993. Simply because he had embarked on some renovation work and added a wing to accommodate increasing number of guests after becoming governor, the mischief-makers photoshopped a breath-taking sprawling palace. But those who bothered to double-check later discovered that the image photo-shopped was actually the ranch-like home of popular American rapper, Drake!

    Perhaps realizing their own folly, this time, the PDP story-tellers decided to review the value of the imaginary Iyahmo’s palace from N20bn to N10bn in the current bulletin in circulation. Such idiocy!

    Really, Oshio Baba must really be a bone in the neck of these dudes to concoct this sort of mean lies. I recall there was also the pornographic tale circulated at some point. On the eve of the July 2012 elections, Oshiomhole’s head was photo-shopped and placed on the neck of a well-down stud surrounded by unclad ladies. That was meant to portray the governor in bad lights. Of course, just before the largely Christian Edo electorate could express outrage, the truth emerged. It was discovered to be a big lie.

    Who will also forget the fable of ForteAdams Airline valued at $1bn. This was floated shortly after Oshiomhole married his beautiful wife, Iara, in 2015. The mischief-makers simply announced Oshiomhole had set aside a whopping $1bn for the airline in honour of his wife. Pictures of non-existent Boeing 737 vessels with FortrAdams Airline colours were displayed as proofs. But so illiterate in mentality, these tale-bearers did not reckon that aviation business is not the same as “Tuke Tuke” (rickety bus) or hawking of “pure water” along Ring Road in Benin. A simple click on the google search engine revealed their claim as another cheap lie.

    In the final analysis, what I am sure of is that, no matter the tones of lies told, Oshiomhole is the people’s choice and is destined to lead APC to greater heights.

     

    • Chief Steven Igbinosu, a retired civil servant, wrote from Benin.

     

    Re: June 12, military cult and PMB’s ritual offering 

     

    Sir, your  write-up was good but something very factual is missing there. You did not mention the first hero of that June 12 , Professor Humphrey Nwosu. Was it deliberate or an oversight? Without Nwosu’s part mentioned, what you told us is nothing but half-truth.

    • Joseph: 08168882628

     

    May I add my voice to say “congratulations” to all Nigerians goodwill. Long live our darling President Buhari. Please, help pass this message: the Secretary of NEC during the June 12 saga should not be forgotten too. He is late Alhaji Aliyu Umar.

     

    AUDU PADA, Minna: 08036064812

     

    After all said and done, I expected you to make comments on the western leaders, some of whom attended the June 12 investiture, and asked why they failed to persuade the UNILAG Community to accept the first gesture by former President Goodluck Jonathan remaining the university Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. They erred to me. Mind you, I am a Yoruba man.

     

    Lanre Oseni: 07030303636

     

     

  • APC chair race: Enugu APC endorses Oshiomhole

    THE Enugu State All Progressives Congress (APC) has endorsed former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the party’s national chairmanship race.

    The chapter had earlier endorsed the incumbent National Vice Chairman (South-East) Chief Emma Eneukwu, National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso and National Auditor  George Moghalu for re-election.

    Oshiomhole’s endorsement was announced yesterday after a meeting of Enugu State Delegates for the National Convention, which was attended by 125 delegates.

    APC Chairman Dr. Ben Nwoye explained that  they resolved to  endorse the former governor because of his leadership qualities as a governor and labour leader.

    Nwoye added that after the meeting, where the National Convention was discussed, the delegates reaffirmed their support for re-election of Eneuwku as well as others they had earlier endorsed.

    He  told reporters that the Enugu State APC was proud to be the first state in the Southeast and perhaps the first nationwide to adopt  Adams Oshiomhole for National Chairman.

    The APC chairman noted  that looking at the quality leadership displayed by Oshiomhole through his eight years  as Edo State governor as well as his approach to dispute resolution, they believed that he would lead the party  to a greater height and sustain the achievements of his predecessor, John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Expressing the gratitude of Enugu APC delegates to Oyegun, Nwoye said the outgoing national chairman has written his name in the stone of democracy, adding that his records cannot be broken easily.

    His words: “Looking at the leadership credentials of Oshiomhole, his days as labour leader,  his eight years in office as governor,  we believe that Adams Oshiomhole will lead this party to a greater height. Enugu State is happy to be the-first in the Southeast and perhaps the first in the federation to adopt him for national chairman.

    “His dogmatic and pragmatic approach in handling issues speaks volume of his leadership qualities. We in Enugu State APC believe strongly that Oshiomhole will take APC to higher heights as well  consolidate on the achievements recorded by the outgoing National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun.”

    Also yesterday, a  member of House of Representatives, Garba Datti,  expressed  confidence in his plans to win the National Deputy Chairmanship race  for North at the APC national convention.

    In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Datti, who represents Sabon Gari Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, said his robust knowledge of and relationships with the Executive,  aided by his wealth of experience as a legislator would ensure his victory at the convention.

    The 58 years old lawmaker, who is a  serving  lawmaker for 15 years running, is a chieftain of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).

    Datti, who said he played a vital role in the merger that led to APC in 2013, became a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2003, where he occupied the position of Minority Whip.

    According to Datti, a key member of the Parliamentary Support Group (PSG), a pressure  group supporting President Muhammadu Buhari in the House of Representatives,  how to douse the frosty relationships between the Executive and the legislature would be one of his major focus.

    The lawmaker, however, declared that the challenge would cease to be a problem as he is poised to deploy his advantage as a lawmaker for 15 years and a political ally of the President once elected into office.

  • Ortom backs Oshiomhole for APC chairman

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has expressed support for the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to become the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He spoke when Oshiomhole visited him at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.

    Ortom said the former Edo State Governor had the requisite pedigrees, antecedents and experiences to efficiently run the affairs the party at the national level.

    He described Oshiomhole’s decision to contest for the position as a welcome development, especially since the Nigerian Governor’s Forum had adopted him.

    The governor urged the renowned unionist to use his expertise to reposition the party for the progress of the country and the deepening of the democratic process if elected.

    He expressed satisfaction with the current national leadership of the party but said there was always room for improvement.

    Ortom expressed hope the aspirant would interact with Benue delegates before the party’s convention in Abuja, even as he wished him well in his aspiration.

    Oshiomhole said his visit to Ortom was to console him, the government and people of the state over the killings and also inform him of his intention to run for the party’s national chairmanship position.

    He said his desire to become national chairman was to contribute his quota towards reinventing the party to increase the bonding of members for the pursuit of progressive ideas and vision for which it was founded.

    The chairmanship hopeful said he was familiar with the diversities of the country, vowing if voted, he would not betray the trust bestowed on him by party men as well as all the stakeholders and expressed appreciation to Governor Ortom for the warm reception accorded him.

     

  • APC chairmanship: Why governors, party leaders are backing me –Oshiomhole

    An aspirant for the position of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that he is not a dictator as being expressed in some quarters.

    Comrade Oshiomhole, who is the immediate past governor of Edo State, said that he got the support of APC governors and other party leaders across the country because they understand the type of person he is. Oshiomhole, who reiterated his loyalty to the party, said he would exercise his persuasive power and negotiating skill to resolve the crisis in the party.

    The former governor, who spoke in an interview with newsmen, said the majority of the party leaders supporting his aspiration believed he would improve the fortunes of the APC. Comrade Oshiomhole said he had never exercised dictatorial powers but persuasive powers and negotiating skills. He said: “If I have prominent people from the North, prominent people from the South, East and West, it means I will be the centre. No one will say if not for my support, you would not have been there.

    If you are a product of one section, then you might remain detained by that section if you feel that to return to that office, you must service that section because it is your support base. But when you have the privilege of broad support from many leaders, then no one leader will say I put you there, you must listen to me. “But let me also say that what is qualitatively different about this support is that there is no question about what is influencing this support.

    The support is being offered by people who cannot be procured, and this tells you it is flowing from the knowledge of my person. “I have been fortunate to work with all the governors, including past ones. Those I did not meet in office, I met them when I was the president of the NLC. They know what I stand for. They offered this support based on their understanding of my person and not inducement and that makes a difference.”

  • APC Chairmanship race: Tinubu, governors back Oshiomhole

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and several governors of the party have thrown their weight behind former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole as the party’s next national chairman.

    Tinubu and the governors were at the campaign office of the former Edo governor at different interval yesterday.

    The former Lagos State governor described his visit as a solidarity for the continuous building of great and progressive party.

    The governors, who visited the campaign office include Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa) and Simon Lalong (Plateau) as well as Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige and former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Abdulwahid Omar.

    However, one of the three candidates challenging Oshiomhole for the chairmanship position, Alhaji Ibrahim Emokpare, yesterday announced that he was stepping down from the race.

    Emokpare said: “I believe that the best decision is to work with the most competent person in the race to take the party to next level.”

    But Tinubu, on why he visited the headquarters, said: “My presence here symbolises solidarity and unity of purpose to continue to build a progressive party that will carry Nigeria in a progressive manner and encourage good governance with courage and commitment.

    “There is no doubt that I have endorsed his candidacy. I have worked with him and so, why should I have any doubt. This thing is a game and there is the fact that you either win or lose. Have you seen a democrat who is ready to lose? Just accept the fact that it is about winning.”

    The APC stalwart, however, refused to confirm whether he was supporting any of the candidate for the office of National Secretary or any other position.

    He said: “Whose office am I now? I am in Oshiomhole’s office. First of all, let us solve that problem first. For now, I am for Adams Oshiomhole.”

    On the job assigned to him by President Muhammadu Buhari to reconcile aggrieved party members, he said: “We are reconciling. Our being here is part of reconciliation. We are reconciling. What is politics? It is about conflict and conflict resolution.”

    Former APC National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande said the decision to support Oshiomhole for the position was informed by the fact that a competent person was needed to lead the party.

    He said: “Democracy is a matter of choice. You want somebody who can do the job and you allow him to do it.”

    Asked how many governors were supporting the candidacy of Oshiomhole, Bagudu said although he was not the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, he was sure that the governors were in support of the former Edo State governor.

    On his part, Amosun said: “He is one of us. That is why we had to come and identify with him here and you know what that means. You know he is running for the office of the chairman of the party. So, we have to come to identify with him.

    “I am not the chairman of the governors’ forum. So, I shouldn’t be speaking for the governors. But let’s just say I know for me and for us in Ogun State, we are supporting him.

    Ganduje said: “You know Kano State has the largest number of delegates to the national convention and by seeing me here, it means all the votes from Kano State will go to the former governor of Edo State. In fact, it seems numerically, he is winning the election before the election.

    According to Akeredolu, “it is so clear even to a blind person that we don’t really have a contest for the office of the chairman. Be that as it may, I believe that when we come in full force, you will see where our votes will go, that is even if there is any contest. But I am sure that we are here to savour the office of the incoming chairman of our party.”

  • 179 aspirants to vie for APC’s NWC posts, Oshiomhole confident

    About 179 aspirants, including former Edo governor, Adams Oshiomhole  are jostling for positions in the in-coming National Working Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).
    Kastina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari who is the chairman, sub-committee  for screening disclosed this in Abuja confirmed that 179 party members have obtained nomination forms to contest various positions in the forthcoming National Convention of the party.
    “The total numbers of aspirant nationwide about 179, though specifically I cannot immediately tell you their geographic spread. It is premature for me to say. I think the report will be presented by Tuesday.”
    On whether the party was still maintaining the zoning formula, the governor declared that “you can only contest for any position zoned to your zone. So far those who applied for positions from the North-west are from the North-west, nobody from the North-east or elsewhere applied for the positions zoned to the North-west.”
    One of the aspirants, Former Edo State Governor , Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says he is confident  about his chances of winning the chairmanship seat.
    Oshiomhole told newsmen that he was confident that heavyweights in the party were solidly behind him even as two of those contesting the chairmanship seat are from his state.
    The former governor said he has a solid base across the country to give him victory, pointing out that many governors of the party were solidly behind his candidacy.
    Other aspirants in the race with Comrade Oshiomohle including his predecessor Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Cross River govrrnor Clement Ebri and Chief Ibrahim Emokpaire.
    The ensure his victory, the former Labour union leader has, appointed one time Minority Leader House of Representatives Hon. Faruk Adamu Aliyu, as his Campaign Director.
    He said “In a boxing match, you do not ask a featherweight to go into the ring wit a heavyweight. It is going to be a very interesting convention. I think for all of us who believe in democracy, this is to be expected.
    ” I want to talk about my own state that many people at various levels including governors, senators past and present and our current governor, I am very hopeful that they will be in my support.”
    Speaking on the the declaration of June 12 as democracy day by President Muhammadu Buhari, Oshiomohle said:”I think we should salute the president for is statesmanship. There are many things he has done over the past three years that are outstanding in terms of finding the political will and demonstrating statesmanship.”
    “That his decision, which is a bold decision to acknowledge that June 12 cannot be wished away as a non-event, I think he deserves commendation across party divides because for those who voted, it was just a urge shock and pain that about 14 million people tat voted, the cancellation was like an April Fools Day.
    “So, for him to acknowledge Abiola in the manner that he did and confer on him posthumously an award meant for people who are president’s mean that he has settled the question. The only ting he would have wished to do which he cannot do was to bring Abiola back to life which is beyond human.
    “The second thing is the outstanding contribution of Chief Gani Faweinmi because a lot of Nigerians would ask you, what does it take to serve the people?
    “For President Buhari to come out and honour Gani Fawehinmi, means there were many activists but Fawehinmi could easily be seen as the foremost among them. Not only did every successive government sent him to prison not on account of fighting for his father’s parcel of land but on account of his stubborn insistence that government should deliver to the people.”

  • It’s a boost for democracy, says Oshiomhole

    FORMER Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has described the post-humous award for the proclaimed winner of the June 12 Presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as a boost for the nation’s democracy.

    Oshiomhole, who is an aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairmanship position said Democracy Day is not the day people hand over power to their successors.

    In a statement issued in Benin City, Oshiomhole said the decision to immortalise Abiola was what many Nigerians had yearned for.

    The statement reads: “I am glad with the decision of the President, especially by declaring June 12 Democracy Day because the real democracy is not the day that people hand over power to their successors, but the day to celebrate heroes of our democracy such as Chief Abiola and Gani Fawehinmi.

    “It was as a result of the struggle by Gani and Abiola that some persons came to benefit as leaders later on. That is why I commend Mr. President for this great wisdom. This is the best way to honour those that labour for this democracy.

    “We know some leaders, who even though they came from the same zone with Abiola and Gani were resolute in ensuring that June 12 was not declared as a day we celebrate as our democracy.

    The former governor said the “struggle for a better Nigeria and the blood of those who fought and died for this democracy has been atoned for” by Mr. President.

    “I congratulate the families of late MKO and Gani, I congratulate APC for making this happen. This was what some of us has yearned for over the years but I am glad that God has used Mr. President to achieve this and this will further strengthen our democracy and make us greater,” he stated.

     

     

  • APC chairmanship: Pro-Buhari group roots for Oshiomhole

    A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia State and  Director-General of the Buhari Southeast Youth Movement (BUSEYM), Engr. Nwabueze Onwuneme, has declared support for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s emergence as the National Chairman of APC in the forthcoming national convention.

    Speaking when he visited the Comrade Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation office in Abuja, Onwuneme stated that the party desperately needs Oshiomhole, who he described as a steadfast progressive, nationalists, mobiliser, a man of good conscience and above all a man who greatly and positively distinguished himself credibly on various national and state assignments such as his leadership of the NLC and governor of Edo State where he left indelible marks of achievements.

    Onwuneme stated that the party greatly needs the leadership and result-oriented qualities Oshiomhole is known for to lead the party to victory in the forthcoming 2019 election and continuous good standing of the party in the future.

    He charged the delegates to vote massively for Oshiomhole. Onwuneme also promised to mobilise the youths and the women of the Southeast zone to support Oshiomhole now and after his emergence as the chairman of the party.

  • APC should not be for all comers – Oshiomhole

    Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said on Monday the All Progressive Congress (APC) should only admit people that share its ideology.

    Speaking when he visited former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, at his Abuja office, Oshiomhole said the APC should be able to tell people whose belief run counter to its ideals to look elsewhere for membership of a political party.

    The ex-governor, who expressed concern at the continued feud between the Executive and Legislative arms of government, said the party cannot afford to be an “onlooker” in the current rift between both arms of government.

    Oshiomhole said if elected as APC chairman,  he would ensure that all party organs function optimally.

    He said: “We are in a critical position in our country and over the next couple of months, the political environment will be heated up when all the aspirants and candidates would have emerged and our party is expected to, as the governing party to lead by example.

    “I believe that after the historic amalgamation of the four and half parties that now form the APC, it is enough for us to have welded into a party and provide the kind of leadership that Nigerians expected from a political party that is based on the principle of social democracy which was why we carefully choose the name Progressives.

    “It is not a secret that we have our own fair share of internal challenges. I believe that there is nothing wrong in parties having internal challenges, but what matters is a leadership that has the capacity to manage those challenges and encourage internal democracy and evolve a style of leadership that is based on inclusion rather than exclusion.

    “We must strengthen the process of bottom approach to decision making so that when we talk about a party position, it will be one in which party leaders members will say, yes, we participated in the process that led to this decision. The organs of the party must be made to function. When organs of the party are not functioning, then we are just a collection of individuals.

    “It is my hope that we move beyond creating a platform that is simply there for election purpose, just like a public taxi. It should also be a platform to continue to engage all those who are elected on the platform of the party and ensure that what they do and how they do it is in line with the manifesto and the core value that bind the party together.”