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A faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Edo state has tackled a former National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun over comment that the party had agreed, at a reconciliation meeting, to cede its governorship ticket in the forthcoming election to the incumbent governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, had, in an advertorial published in some national newspapers on Thursday, said President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Godwin Obaseki of Edo State for second term.
“I also welcome most warmly the news that Mr President has firmly endorsed the agreement reached to settle the disruptive leadership crisis at the national level that was threatening the very existence of the APC.
“The immediately relevant part of the agreement was that both the governors – Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of Edo State and Mr Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN of Ondo State have performed creditably and should be returned unless they do not so wish.
“This means that the party, in unity, should organise to support the return of both governors,” Oyegun’s statement partly reads.
Both governors are currently on their first term in office and have indicated interest to vie for second term, while the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC fixed September 19, and October 10 for elections in Edo and Ondo respectively.
But reacting, Mr. Chris Azebamwan, a factional Edo State Publicity Secretary of the party, dismissed Oyegun’s claim as untrue, stating that the former national chairman of the party was not even at the meeting where the reconciliation was discussed.
“To the best of my knowledge, Chief Odigie-Oyegun was not at the meeting where reconciliation was discussed. He is no longer a principal officer of the APC, and is in no position therefore, to lay claims to the inner workings of the Party,” Azebamwan said.
“One wonders why the National Reconciliation Committee headed by Chief Bisi Akande would have needed to be set up if positions had been taken on crucial issues like the ticket for Edo State governorship elections.
“We operate a democratic dispensation and Pa Odigie-Oyegun should allow the process throw up the best man for the job instead of attempting to throw a spanner in the works by promoting his personal opinions and the desperate ambitions of Godwin Obaseki as decisions or resolutions of our party leadership.
“He is an elder statesman and should not allow himself to be dragged into the fray. That would be a tragic fall from the high pedestal to which we are accustomed to placing him.”
