APC Chairmanship race: Oshiomole wins before convention

…As Tinubu, Akande, Govs, others besiege campaign office
The former Governor of Edo State, and major contender for the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Chairmanship Seat seems to have won the position before the national convention with almost all party stakeholders besieging his campaign office in Abuja on Tuesday.

Oshiomhole, who was earlier endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari and APC Governors have continued to enjoy the support of critical stakeholders of the party including the party National Leader, Bola Tinubu and former interim National Chairman, Bisi Akande.

Also, party governors including Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, Abubakar Ganduje of Kano State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and Simon Lalong of Plateau State and the Minister of Labor and Productivity, Chris Ngige with members of the National Assembly paid Oshiomhole solidarity visit at his campaign office.

Speaking to journalists, the Governor of Kebbi State Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said the former Labour leader is well experienced and will be able to unite the party as they all have confidence in him.

He said: “He has been experienced in various aspects of national life and we are all confident that the party structure is necessary for the continuous evolution and maintenance of democracy and his collective experience in the recent past as executive governor of Edo state, one of the most successful leaders of trade union, and a democratic activist all his life.

These qualities will be brought to bear in achieving the ideas of the APC so we believe he will be a leader, he will be the embodiment of the spirit of the party and the experience will help him bring partisanship to governance.

Governor Bagudu who spoke on behalf of the Governors pointed out that he was not the Chairman of the Progressives governors’ forum.

He said “Though I am not the chairman of the progressive governors’ forum, but I can tell you that Adams Oshiomole is my candidate as a governor and all the governors I know, he is the candidate for the chairmanship position of our party, the APC.

“We believe that we have identified someone who can do the job and will be able to start and in that spirit to demonstrate by coming together. We believe he is the best fit for the job”.

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

I am not the chairman of the governor’s 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”.

The Governor of kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje emphasised that Kano State having the largest number of delegates to the convention will give all its vote to the Comrade Governor saying: “You know Kano state has the largest number of delegates to the national convention and by seeing me here 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”.

Also speaking, Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu stated that it’s so clear even to a blind person to know that we don’t really have contest for the office of the chairman adding that; “I believe when we come in full force, you will see where votes; that is, there is ever any contest but I am sure that we are here to Savor the office of the incoming chairman of our party”.

Also, the former Edo state Governor victory as APC National Chairman became even more certain as one of the strong contenders to the seat also from Edo State, Ibrahim Ekpobaire stepped down for him.

Ekpobaire Tuesday announced his withdrawal from the race at his campaign office in Abuja where he said he took the decision after wide consultation with the leadership of the party, political associates and family for the unity of APC.

“I feel that the friendships I have cultivated in the party as well as the unity of the party are more important to me than the possible election as the national chairman of our great party at this moment of reconciliation and rebirth of party”.

However, while speaking to journalists in company of Oshiomhole at the campaign office, Ekpobaire said he withdrew for the most competent aspirant to easily ascend the position for the progress of APC.

“I believe the best decision is to work and synergize with the most competent in the race who would be able to take the party to the next level”, he maintained.