The National Chairman, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is fighting back following an allegation by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that he manipulated the September 3, 2016 Ondo State governorship primary.
The election produced Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the party’s candidate.
Odigie-Oyegun said yesterday that most of Tinubu’s accusations are untrue.
Tinubu had in a statement sent out by his media office on Sunday called on the APC chair to resign, among other things. Odigie-Oyegun said he would meet with President Muhammadu Buhari before he would fully reply Tinubu.
Tinubu accused Odigie-Oyegun of colluding with mercenary forces to derail democracy and the change promised Nigerians.
Tinubu specifically said the APC chairman connived with some dark forces to rig the delegates’ list used for the September 3, primary of the party won by Akeredolu. The statement detailed how Odigie-Oyegun allegedly conspired against the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), disregarded majority decision on a fresh primary and sneaked out of a meeting to submit Akeredolu’s name as the APC candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The NWC, acting on the recommendations of its Appeals Committee, allegedly voted six to five, in favour of cancellation of the primary, citing fraud in the delegates list.
“…Odigie-Oyegun has done the irredeemable,” Tinubu said.
Speaking in Benin yesterday, Odigie-Oyegun said he would not fully respond to the allegations until after the governorship election in Edo State, even as he explained that most of the things said against him were not true.
“Asiwaju is a well respected leader of our party so, I cannot be seen speaking evil against him. I have to consult properly with other leaders of the party before we make any definite statement. Again, you know we have a crucial election here in Edo which is my priority right now.
“We don’t want to lose focus and I know Asiwaju also want us to win because we all have worked hard for this. So, maybe after the election, if there is need, I will speak; if (there is) no need, I will relax. But, all I can say now is that most of the things said in the papers about me are not true. I have always believed in internal democracy, that the credibility of primaries must be taken seriously.
“I believe that if primaries of parties are not credible, it may derail any democracy so, I don’t play with these things at all. Everybody knows me and I don’t joke with my credibility and I have tried to maintain it. Like I said, Asiwaju is our leader and we all hold him in high esteem, so, I will never join issues with him.
“But may be after Edo elections, after we must have emerged victorious, we may speak on some of the issues raised. So, there is no problem at all. Edo is the focus for now and as you know this is my state so it is a very serious election for us. So, I want to be allowed to remain focus then after the election, we can speak”, he said.
