The Immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has again picked on his successor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole alleging that he conducted the most fraudulent primaries in the history of political parties in Nigeria.
According to Oyegun, this evident on the number of cases in court as a result of the primaries and also the Independent National Electoral Commission report on APC primaries.
Oyegun, who was reacting to Oshiomhole’s insistence that the problems in the APC were caused by him (Oyegun) because of his inability to institute party discipline said a viable party was handed over to Oshiomhole but because of his lack of administrative acumen, the party had gone down.
Oyegun had on Monday said that the APC National Chairman was leading the party as an “agbero.”
In a statement from his Adviser on Public Affairs, Chief Ray Murphy, Oyegun said that the APC National Chairman should swallow his pride and ask for assistance to rescue the party.
He said that it was regrettable that after one year Oshiomhole was still giving excuses why he is failing.
His words: “The Oshiomole Executive is about a year in office, why does he find it hard to function without looking for excuses and scapegoats?
“It is common knowledge that Oshiomole ran the most fraudulent primaries in the history of politics in Nigeria. Recall that INEC said so when it adjudged Oshiomole primaries as the worst so far. The courts are saying the same thing today by upturning many APC primaries for being undemocratic and less than fair. Was it Oyegun who ran the primaries?”
Oyegun’s adviser extolled his (Oyegun’s) credentials as an accomplished technocrat, a super permanent secretary, a former Governor, a man without blemish working with others cobbled together creditably the legacy parties, and held them together with tact, diplomacy and finesse until Oshiomole came along. To his credit, Oyegun did not lose one member of the party.
He said, “It will be recalled that Chief John Odigie Oyegun just received The Zik award for Political Leaders1hip alongside John Mahama, the former President of Ghana. In the award citation, he was extolled for the exemplary political leadership of APC. Posterity has already given its verdict, Oyegun led the party to a resounding victory. Oshiomole should not destroy what others had laboured to build. If he needs tutorial on how to run a party, he should ask for it civilly. John Oyegun will be more than happy to help, after all, no man would like to see his son scatter what he had laboured to build.
“As an elder, as a leader, Chief John Odigie Oyegun will not join issues with those who apparently are casting aspersions about, looking for excuses for their inability to manage a ruling party successfully.
“Indeed it is absurd to lose states with all the capacity at the disposal of the current Chair. Party members know that APC witnessed its golden years under the chairmanship of Oyegun and no one can change that bit of political history.”
Oyegun dismissed Oshiomhole’s claims of increasing President Muhammad Buhari’s votes above 2015, as he said, “By the way, the vote increase to Mr President is a reflection of the confidence the people repose on the President despite the fumbles of the Oshiomole sole administratorship of the party!”
©NewTelegraph
