APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, has described as ´´absolutely childish´´ the endorsement of the immediate past governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole, by South-South stakeholders of the party to take over from him.
He made this known to newsmen at the party´s National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
´´It was childish, absolutely childish. Voting is done at convention and not in State Houses or in Government Houses,” he said.
Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari, when asked who is his choice had said he preferred the Edo ex-gov.
Party leader Bola Tinubu and Oshiomhole apparently closed ranks recently, going back Tinubu’s vehement opposition to the tenure extension the party executives gave Oyegun.
Speaking on the issue of Mr Buhari’s choice of Mr Oshiomhole as national chairman for the party, Bolaji Abdullai said the president’s choice was not binding on the party.
“According to his party publicity secretary, the endorsement has nothing to do with the meeting today,” he said.
Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, who did not confirm if he would seek re-election as APC national chairman or not, however, said he had concluded consultations and would make his decision public in a few days.
” I’m going to make it known when the convention committee announces their programmes.
´´Then when I am going to buy a form, if I will re-contest I will let you know,´´ he said.
There have been speculations that Mr. Odigie-Oyegun and Mr. Oshiomhole among others are in the race for the APC national chairmanship position.
The Forum of South-South APC Stakeholders held a meeting in Benin on Monday where some states in the region endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Oshiomhole while others declined.
Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, however, said those who endorsed Oshiomhole had their reasons which should be respected, saying that there was nothing wrong in the endorsement.
He, however, said that he was not bothered by the development.
´´So, I think it is a case of rub my back, I rub your back that is playing out,´´ he said, referring to meetings held in Edo’s government house to endorse Oshiomhole known as Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s godfather.