Oyegun Begins Re-election Moves, Calls Tinubu’s Bluff

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, embattled National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is already making moves to retain his position at the forthcoming convention of the party scheduled for June.
He will, however, have to square up with some contending forces in the party who are hell-bent on his ouster after the completion of his first term.
The anti-Oyegun forces are believed to be led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, and head of the party’s reconciliation team.
Leading the pack are Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Speaking with newsmen after Tuesday’s meeting with President Buhari, Rochas Okorocha, Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum and governor of Imo State, confirmed Oyegun’s plan to seek re-election when he clarified some points.
He said: “But let me correct one impression, the issue of congress and convention does not mean that the previous people who have served the party have done badly, and it does not mean that they cannot come back, or that they cannot re-contest. That is not it.
“We are simply saying that their tenure has ended and those who wish to re-contest can re-contest and can be elected to our party structure.
“So, we are all one as a family and we are set to go for the 2019 elections in victory.”
Though many stakeholders in the APC have alluded to the key role Tinubu played in Oyegun’s emergence, the embattled national chairman in an interview at his Benin residence last year debunked the claim, and said no single individual assisted him to occupy the exalted position.
“I don’t believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position, everybody assisted me and, someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told.
“You will then see that everybody did assist me to become national chairman.
“This means that I am there for everybody. I don’t belong to any camp in the APC. I belong to all members of APC, high and below,” Oyegun had said.
However, in an interview, Chief Charles Idahosa, an APC chieftain in Benin, countered Oyegun’s claim.
“I can tell you that, that is a lie. How can he say Tinubu and Oshiomhole did not play any role? Asiwaju Bola Tinubu threw all his strength into making him the national chairman. You know, they were in NADECO together.
“So, we were not surprised because both of them have known each other for a long time. I know all these because I was an insider.
“For Oyegun to now go to Abuja and be saying what the president will want to hear, is not good at all.
“Oyegun knew what we did to make him national chairman. Tom Ikimi had already gone unopposed from Edo State.
“We had to call a State Working Committee meeting to say there is another person from Edo State who is interested in the position.
“I spoke to the state chairman of APC who is still alive; I spoke to then governor, Adams Oshiomhole, that this is what we should do because we are not very sure of Ikimi.