Why I want to be APC chairman — Oshiomhole

Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, declared in
Abuja, that he wants to be national chairman so as to reposition,
re-organise and make the All Progressives Congress (APC) a “digital
party.”

Before Imo and Edo governors, as well as APC faithful,
Oshiomhole also declared that President Muhammadu Buhari is cleaner
than his predecessors.

Oshiomhole said these when he formally disclosed his intention
to contest for the national chairman position in the party’s June
23 national elective convention.

“I believe that with the zeal to work with the executive and
legislative arms of government, we will engender renewed public
confidence and support for our party and government at all
levels.”
Insisting that even if president Buhari may have failed in
everything, what towered him above his predecessors is that he is
not a thief.

“I want to assure Nigerians that I believe with a new leadership
of the APC and with our president, whom I believe is ever
determined, no matter what anybody wants to say, there will be time
to engage in all of those contestations as we approach 2019
electioneering campaign and those who wish to contest on various
party platforms come to the open, we will know the players, we will
know their coach, we will be able to engage.

“Until then, so that I don’t change headlines, there is only one
thing I want to say here and now, that the worst critic of the
president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari,
will agree that the president is not a thief. President Buhari is
not a thief. That, for me, is the starting point and we will
challenge others.

Although several APC governors, under the platform of the party
did not attend the declaration, the event was, however, a gathering
of political heavyweights; with governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo
and Godwin Obaseki of Edo, to members of the National Assembly and
several party chieftains present at the declaration.

He assured that the principle of separation of powers will be
upheld under his watch as chairman but warned that he will not be a
toy, at the disposal of anybody, and stressed that there will no
longer be graveyard silence on issues concerning the party.

“As I present myself for the position of the national chairman
of our great party, it is pertinent to reflect on what constitutes
the APC. The APC is a progressive party which represents the
collective will of all the members of the party in all the 36
states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT).

“It is my hope that if, and when elected as national chairman of
the party, we will reposition and re-organise the party based on
its philosophy of social democracy, which basically means
people-oriented, membership driven and mass-based political
organisation. To be able to translate these into concrete action
that is visible and verifiable.

“Under our leadership, we will naturally have to do a couple of
things differently, in the day to day management of the party,
while interfacing with all those elected on the platform of the
party at all levels.”

Dignitaries at the event included Edo state deputy governor,
Phillip Shuaibu, the state’s APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezia, National
Vice Chairman, South South, Hilliard Eta, former Bayelsa state
governor, Chief Timiprieye Silva, Speaker of Edo Assembly, Kabiru
Adjoto and Senator Magnus Abe, among others.

Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, declared in
Abuja, that he wants to be national chairman so as to reposition,
re-organise and make the All Progressives Congress (APC) a “digital
party.”

Before Imo and Edo governors, as well as APC faithful,
Oshiomhole also declared that President Muhammadu Buhari is cleaner
than his predecessors.

Oshiomhole said these when he formally disclosed his intention
to contest for the national chairman position in the party’s June
23 national elective convention.

“I believe that with the zeal to work with the executive and
legislative arms of government, we will engender renewed public
confidence and support for our party and government at all
levels.”
Insisting that even if president Buhari may have failed in
everything, what towered him above his predecessors is that he is
not a thief.

“I want to assure Nigerians that I believe with a new leadership
of the APC and with our president, whom I believe is ever
determined, no matter what anybody wants to say, there will be time
to engage in all of those contestations as we approach 2019
electioneering campaign and those who wish to contest on various
party platforms come to the open, we will know the players, we will
know their coach, we will be able to engage.

“Until then, so that I don’t change headlines, there is only one
thing I want to say here and now, that the worst critic of the
president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari,
will agree that the president is not a thief. President Buhari is
not a thief. That, for me, is the starting point and we will
challenge others.

Although several APC governors, under the platform of the party
did not attend the declaration, the event was, however, a gathering
of political heavyweights; with governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo
and Godwin Obaseki of Edo, to members of the National Assembly and
several party chieftains present at the declaration.

He assured that the principle of separation of powers will be
upheld under his watch as chairman but warned that he will not be a
toy, at the disposal of anybody, and stressed that there will no
longer be graveyard silence on issues concerning the party.

“As I present myself for the position of the national chairman
of our great party, it is pertinent to reflect on what constitutes
the APC. The APC is a progressive party which represents the
collective will of all the members of the party in all the 36
states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT).

“It is my hope that if, and when elected as national chairman of
the party, we will reposition and re-organise the party based on
its philosophy of social democracy, which basically means
people-oriented, membership driven and mass-based political
organisation. To be able to translate these into concrete action
that is visible and verifiable.

“Under our leadership, we will naturally have to do a couple of
things differently, in the day to day management of the party,
while interfacing with all those elected on the platform of the
party at all levels.”

Dignitaries at the event included Edo state deputy governor,
Phillip Shuaibu, the state’s APC Chairman, Anslem Ojezia, National
Vice Chairman, South South, Hilliard Eta, former Bayelsa state
governor, Chief Timiprieye Silva, Speaker of Edo Assembly, Kabiru
Adjoto and Senator Magnus Abe, among others.