The All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State has rejected the purported endorsement of former Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, by the chairmen of the South South states as chairmanship candidate in the coming national convention.
The rejection by Delta APC makes it four out of the six states’ chairmen of the party from the South South geo-political zone distancing themselves from the purported endorsement of the comrade governor as a consensus candidate.
Deputy Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Cyril Ogodon, in a statement made available to journalists, described the purported consensus as desperate and despicable.
The other four state chairmen, who have earlier disassociated themselves, were the Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Deacon Joseph Fafi, Cross River State APC Chairman, Mr. Etim John and the Akwa Ibom State APC Chairman, Dr. Amadu Attai as well as the APC Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Victor Giadom.
They had stormed out of the South South zonal caucus meeting held at the Edo State Government House on Monday to protest alleged plans by the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki and the zonal Vice Chairman of the party, Hilliard Eta, to adopt Oshiomhole as the South South zone consensus candidate for the party’s national chairman.
Speaking to journalists, the South South states chairmen said they were ambushed with Oshiomhole’s adoption agenda at the meeting.
They insisted that the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, should be given a right of first refusal to seek re-election for the position.
Leader of APC in Delta State, Chief O’tega Emerhor, while also commenting about the development, expressed shock that the National Vice Chairman South South could conceive such a stance.
He stated emphatically that the leaders and stakeholders of APC had, at no time, deliberated on adopting Comrade Oshomole as their candidate.
Emerhor stated further that the incumbent, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, is a worthy son of the zone who has performed creditably and who deserves a first right of refusal.
