BEVERLY HILLS, April 23, (THEWILL) – The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the South-South zone, have adopted the immediate past governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as the zone’s choice for the party’s National Chairman.
This came as the Edo State Caucus of the party endorsed Oshiomhole for national chairman and urged him to join the race ahead of the forthcoming convention of the party.
The State chairman, Anslem Ojezua, announced this after a meeting of the leadership of the party in Edo State, presided over by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
In attendance were Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; former governor of the state, Prof.Osarhiemien Osunbor; Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu; Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Francis Alimekhena; Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Pally Iriase; Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, and members of the House of Representatives in the state on APC platform.
Addressing journalists, Ojezua noted that Oshiomhole was the sole candidate of the state for the position, saying: “we had our state caucus meeting and at the meeting, a motion was put to urge our leader, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to put himself forward for the position of national chairman of the APC considering the fact that NEC had graciously approved that the zoning formula earlier put in place be sustained, which makes him eminently qualified.”
Following the adoption, the S-South leaders met in Benin City for a meeting which lasted for over four hours and attracted zonal leaders of the party led by Vice Chairman, South-South, Mr Ntufam Hilliard Eta.
Also at the meeting were Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Timipre Sylva, Senator Magnus Abbe, Alims Agoda, Eseme Eyibio; former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Sam Ewang; Mrs Miriam Alli, Senator Francis Alimekhena, Frank Ajobena, Chief Great Ogboru, Victor Ochei, Cairo Ojougboh, Senator Domingo Obende; Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto; Comrade Frank Kokori and members of the APC caucus from South South in the National Assembly.
Curiously, the incumbent National Chairman of APC, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and immediate past governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, were absent.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Zonal Vice Chairman of the party, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, said: “You are all aware of the happenings in the party and luckily one of the decisions taken by NEC, was that the positions of the party should be retained in the various jurisdictions occupying those positions as at now.
“And you are aware that the South-South is occupying the number one position of the party in Nigeria.
“It is important that we proceed from the premise of that meeting and begin to discuss and interact on the best ways we can use those resolutions reached at NEC to impact positively on the South-South zone of the party given that the zone is unarguably the fastest growing zone of the party.
“We also took into consideration the need to put our best forward. That decision was unanimous, which means every member of the state caucus not just participated but accepted that this must be the position of Edo State.”
However, four out of the six state chairmen of the party in the zone have distanced themselves from the endorsement of Oshiomhole.
They are Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya; Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Deacon Joseph Fafi; Cross River State APC Chairman, Mr. Etim John, and Akwa Ibom State APC Chairman, Dr. Amadu Attai, as well as APC Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom.
About the Author
