South South APC divided over Adams Oshiomhole’s endorsement as Buhari support groups open offices

*Odigie-Oyegun, Amaechi absent
Barely 24 hours after the Edo State caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for the nation chairman position of the party, leaders in the South-South have also thrown their support behind him for the position.

However missing in the meeting, which lasted for over four hours were the minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

The meeting attracted the zonal leaders of the party led by its Vice Chairman, South South, Mr. Ntufam Hilliard Eta.

Also at the meeting were Oshiomhole, Chief Timipreye Silver, Senator Magnus Abbe, Alims Agoda, Hon.Eseme Ehibo, former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Sam Ewang, Chief Mrs Miriam Alli, Senator Francis Alimekhena, Frank Ajobena, Chief Great Ogboru, Victor Ochei, Cairo Ojougboh, Senator Domingo Obende, Speaker Kabiru Adjoto, Comrade Frank Kokori and members of the APC caucus from the South South in the National Assembly.

There was tension in the hall when some supporters of Amaechi said they were not at the meeting for the adoption of any candidate but they were shouted down by a majority of the leaders from the zone.

However, four out of the six state chairmen of the party from the South South geo-political zone distanced themselves the endorsement of Oshiomhole.

They are the Rivers State’s Chief Davies Ikanya, Bayelsa’s Deacon Joseph Fafi, Cross River’s Etim John and Akwa Ibom’s 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 in protest at what they said were plans by host Governor Godwin Obaseki and Eta to adopt Oshiomhole as the South South zones candidate for the party’s National Chairman.

Speaking to journalists, the South South state chairmen said they were ambushed with Oshiomhole’s adoption agenda at the meeting. They insisted that Odigie-Oyegun should be given a right of first refusal to seek re-election for the position.
The development came as the re-election bid of President Muhammad Buhari formally kicked in the South-South with the Council for New Nigeria National Committee of Buhari Support Groups (CNN/NCBSG) opening its secretariats in some states in the region.

In Benin City, Edo State, the ceremony attracted party chieftains from across the country including Senators Francis Alimikhena, Sunny Obaji, Magnuson Abe, Nelson Effiong, Wilson Ake , members of the House of Representatives, Chairman Board of Trustees of the CNN/NCBSG, Alhaji Abdul Ibrahim who officially commissioned the edifice saying it was a symbol of the victory of Buhari at the polls.

The state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anselm Ojezua said ¨When we see groups such as this, we are very happy because you make our job easier. with this you make our job more coordinated and our brand more effective. Our focus is PMB 2019, victory is assured.”

The group led by Senator Abdul Ibrahim, the chairman Board of Trustees of the Buhari Support group had inaugurated the offices in the entire six states of the South South yesterday before they arrived Benin.

One of the delegates nominated Odigie-Oyegun but Oshiomhole´s nomination scaled through after a thunderous voice vote.

Eta, while talking to journalists expressed joy with the outcome of the meeting, saying that the voice of the majority prevailed.

¨You are all aware of the happenings in the party and luckily one of the decisions taken by NEC was that the positions of the party should be retained in the various jurisdictions that are occupying those positions as at now. And you are aware that the South South is occupying the number one position of the party in Nigeria.

¨And it is important that we proceeded from the premise of that meeting and begin to discuss and interact on the best ways that we can use those resolutions reached at NEC to impact positively on the South South zone of the party given that the zone is unarguably the fastest growing zone of the party. We also took into consideration the need to put our best forward.