Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has tacitly endorsed the reelection bid of Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredeolu.
Speaking to newsmen after several hours meeting with the APC Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, Oshiomhole noted that though the electorate have become more sophisticated, Governor Akeredeolu has done well such that the party does not entertain any fear about him.
On the contentious mode of primaries for the Edo governorship election, he said the national leadership of the party was yet to officially receive formal complaint from Governor Godwin Obaseki rejecting the proposed process.
Apparantly commenting on the reelection bid of the governors, Oshiomhole said: “You know that governors are assets to our party and once a candidate emerged, we all work and ensure that we do our best to persuade the people in the respective states to favour us with their votes.
“I am sure that by the special grace of God, the Ondo governor is here, he did well and electorate are more sophisticated now; so we have no fear about that. Obaseki is not here but issues of primaries are well spelt out in our constitution and we are following it as strictly as possible. So nothing to worry about at all.”
Asked if the party leadership will reconsider the mode of primaries following complaints from the Edo governor, he replied: “You are speculating, I don’t have any letter or document to that effect. These are very formal matters. So stop spreading rumours that the governor is against the primaries.”
He insisted that the party will go ahead with direct primaries, adding that apart from releasing the guidelines, the party has also notified INEC on the date for the primaries.
“We are honoured to host APC governors to discuss as we have always done internal issues of the party which are basically to exploit ways and means of strengthening the party and ensuring that we continued to remain the most favoured party in Nigeria.
“We had a very helpful conversation, you know it is one APC, there are no two APC, so interacting and interfacing with our governors is something that is part of our tradition, it is not something we have just invented and today’s discussion was particularly helpful.
“So, we are grateful to the chairman and members of the Progressive Governors Forum who have come all the way. What binds us together is so strong that coronavirus can not out asunder. I was particularly excited.
“We have since published our time table because under the law we are required to give INEC at least 21 days notice to monitor our primaries and to state the mode of our primaries and, of course, NWC had approved direct primaries for Edo. That of Ondo has not been discussed because that will come much later, because Edo will come about three weeks before Ondo. We have commenced the sale of forms, I think as of last Friday to my knowledge three people had picked the forms. I think by today more people have picked the forms.”
