Thursday’s withdrawal of
Mr. Clement Ebri, the last challenger to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s bid for the
office of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC has set
today’s convention as a coronation ceremony for the former labour organiser
turned politician.
The 66 year old Oshiomhole is taking over the office that was remarkably occupied by a man who also preceded him as governor of Edo State, that is, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Odigie-Oyegun, 78, served as governor of Edo State between 1992 and 1993 and became chairman of the APC at its first convention in Abuja in June 2014. The Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee, NWC has attracted flaks for not standing the test at the very difficult moments that confronted the party in the last few years. But whether the failures were traceable to the leadership of the party or caused by the unique complexities that faced the party is an issue that remains unsettled. Going into the convention, the party is faced with so several crises that even on the eve of the convention, many party chieftains were still unsure of the delegates that had been cleared to enter the convention ground. How Oshiomhole manages the party presently reeling from the bruises that occurred during the recent congresses will inevitably determine the prospects of the party in the years ahead. Ahead of today’s convention, the former Edo State governor has been building bridges, rallying forces and giving assurances that his advent would set the party on the path towards greater heights. How will Oshiomhole manage the Governors? Undoubtedly, the governors have turned out to become the most powerful bloc within the party with an influence that goes to the grassroots. The influence of the governors is not necessarily because of their suave, but rather from their ability to dish out the money that builds the structures. Though Odigie-Oyegun was also a former governor, it is telling that many of the present set of governors had not entered politics at the time he was governor more than 25 years ago and so they felt really detached from him. The office of national chairman under Oshiomhole will become more assertive, a fact underlined by the way that even before his emergence, he had been working towards building bridges and resolving the many disputes being left behind by the outgoing NWC. Will not give the other cheek The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is bound to encounter more robust responses to its assertions against the ruling administration and the party as Oshiomhole is not one known for turning the other cheek.
A more delicate outlook for the new national chairman is the response to the chasm between the National Assembly and the executive branches of government. Odigie-Oyegun initially sought to side with the executive branch at the onset of the crisis of confidence between the Buhari administration and the Senator Bukola Saraki led National Assembly caucus of the party. It, however, did not pay him. Given the fact that he was a product of the executive branch of government, it will be easily assumed that Oshiomhole would be tempted to be biased in favour of the presidency against the National Assembly caucus. That assumption would be more fuelled by the fact that he was just two years ago, also an executive office holder who like many other governors believe in the supremacy of the executive over the legislative branch of government. However, there are reasons to believe that the incoming chairman of the ruling party would be cautious in openly showing a bias towards the presidency. Not only would he have studied the fact that such proclivities did not help his predecessor, there is also the personal relationship between him and Senator Saraki. It is claimed among some in the party that Saraki and Oshiomhole have a bond that is not bound to be cleaved by politics. However, time will tell on that. Another major issue that is bound to test the former labour leader is what to do with the many unresolved crises in the party that preceded his inauguration. From Rivers up to Kano and from Benue to Oyo, the APC is stretched by several crises that are bound to create a major upheaval for any man. Arguably, the most challenging issue from the crises in the states would be how to resolve the crises in Imo, Rivers and perhaps Oyo States. He would have to address the crisis in the Imo State chapter that arose after Allied Forces in the state chapter pulled the party structure away from Governor Rochas Okorocha and made him a passerby in party affairs. Okorocha has been quick to tell everyone that his problems arose after he opposed Odigie-Oyegun and inclined himself towards Oshiomhole. Okorocha was the only governor present when Oshiomhole made his declaration for the office of national chairman last month. Will Oshiomhole cause the party to return the party structures to Okorocha and thus stir another crisis? Spokesman of the Allied Forces, Mr. Theodore Ekechi, a former commissioner who served in the Rochas Okorocha cabinet in an interview with Vanguard dismissed such insinuations saying that Oshiomhole cannot reverse a decision already ratified by the NWC of the party. “No national chairman, going by the constitution of the party, no officer of the party, no member of the party, no individual has power has the authority to upturn the Congress that has been ratified by the National Working Committee, NWC. Therefore Oshiomole as the national chairman is not coming with changes to the constitution of APC,” he said. Oshiomhole as South-South leader One major issue that would need to be handled with tact is the issue of the relationship between Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation and the new national chairman. Being that the two of them were former APC governors in the region and that Amaechi was the 2015 and also 2019 presidential campaigns manager, the minister of transportation had in the past developed into the role of the South-South leader of the party regularly dispensing favours and directing the affairs of the party. It is believed that Amaechi had supported Odigie-Oyegun until he became unsellable and was a major force in the candidacy of Ebri as a contender to Oshiomhole. When last month South-South chieftains of the party gathered to endorse Oshiomhole, the Rivers State officials of the party loyal to Amaechi were the first to denounce the anointment. The emergence of Oshiomhole as party chairman could inevitably make him the leader of the party in the South-South region. Would Amaechi accept to play second fiddle? Would Oshiomhole treat him with suspicion given the claims that Amaechi was a supporter of Odigie-Oyegun, and then Ebri? Delta’s thorns Odigie-Oyegun was believed to have developed a rapport with the Olorogun Ortega Emerhor faction in Delta State, a relationship that has continued to befuddle some party observers in the state. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru seeing that relationship became early supporters of the Oshiomhole tendency in the party. Given the fact that Odigie-Oyegun swore in Cyril Ogodo who is loyal to Emerhor as chairman, the Omo-Agege/Ogboru faction would be looking forward to project their chairman, Prophet Jones Erue get the recognition of the new leadership.
The 66 year old Oshiomhole is taking over the office that was remarkably occupied by a man who also preceded him as governor of Edo State, that is, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Odigie-Oyegun, 78, served as governor of Edo State between 1992 and 1993 and became chairman of the APC at its first convention in Abuja in June 2014. The Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee, NWC has attracted flaks for not standing the test at the very difficult moments that confronted the party in the last few years. But whether the failures were traceable to the leadership of the party or caused by the unique complexities that faced the party is an issue that remains unsettled. Going into the convention, the party is faced with so several crises that even on the eve of the convention, many party chieftains were still unsure of the delegates that had been cleared to enter the convention ground. How Oshiomhole manages the party presently reeling from the bruises that occurred during the recent congresses will inevitably determine the prospects of the party in the years ahead. Ahead of today’s convention, the former Edo State governor has been building bridges, rallying forces and giving assurances that his advent would set the party on the path towards greater heights. How will Oshiomhole manage the Governors? Undoubtedly, the governors have turned out to become the most powerful bloc within the party with an influence that goes to the grassroots. The influence of the governors is not necessarily because of their suave, but rather from their ability to dish out the money that builds the structures. Though Odigie-Oyegun was also a former governor, it is telling that many of the present set of governors had not entered politics at the time he was governor more than 25 years ago and so they felt really detached from him. The office of national chairman under Oshiomhole will become more assertive, a fact underlined by the way that even before his emergence, he had been working towards building bridges and resolving the many disputes being left behind by the outgoing NWC. Will not give the other cheek The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is bound to encounter more robust responses to its assertions against the ruling administration and the party as Oshiomhole is not one known for turning the other cheek.
A more delicate outlook for the new national chairman is the response to the chasm between the National Assembly and the executive branches of government. Odigie-Oyegun initially sought to side with the executive branch at the onset of the crisis of confidence between the Buhari administration and the Senator Bukola Saraki led National Assembly caucus of the party. It, however, did not pay him. Given the fact that he was a product of the executive branch of government, it will be easily assumed that Oshiomhole would be tempted to be biased in favour of the presidency against the National Assembly caucus. That assumption would be more fuelled by the fact that he was just two years ago, also an executive office holder who like many other governors believe in the supremacy of the executive over the legislative branch of government. However, there are reasons to believe that the incoming chairman of the ruling party would be cautious in openly showing a bias towards the presidency. Not only would he have studied the fact that such proclivities did not help his predecessor, there is also the personal relationship between him and Senator Saraki. It is claimed among some in the party that Saraki and Oshiomhole have a bond that is not bound to be cleaved by politics. However, time will tell on that. Another major issue that is bound to test the former labour leader is what to do with the many unresolved crises in the party that preceded his inauguration. From Rivers up to Kano and from Benue to Oyo, the APC is stretched by several crises that are bound to create a major upheaval for any man. Arguably, the most challenging issue from the crises in the states would be how to resolve the crises in Imo, Rivers and perhaps Oyo States. He would have to address the crisis in the Imo State chapter that arose after Allied Forces in the state chapter pulled the party structure away from Governor Rochas Okorocha and made him a passerby in party affairs. Okorocha has been quick to tell everyone that his problems arose after he opposed Odigie-Oyegun and inclined himself towards Oshiomhole. Okorocha was the only governor present when Oshiomhole made his declaration for the office of national chairman last month. Will Oshiomhole cause the party to return the party structures to Okorocha and thus stir another crisis? Spokesman of the Allied Forces, Mr. Theodore Ekechi, a former commissioner who served in the Rochas Okorocha cabinet in an interview with Vanguard dismissed such insinuations saying that Oshiomhole cannot reverse a decision already ratified by the NWC of the party. “No national chairman, going by the constitution of the party, no officer of the party, no member of the party, no individual has power has the authority to upturn the Congress that has been ratified by the National Working Committee, NWC. Therefore Oshiomole as the national chairman is not coming with changes to the constitution of APC,” he said. Oshiomhole as South-South leader One major issue that would need to be handled with tact is the issue of the relationship between Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation and the new national chairman. Being that the two of them were former APC governors in the region and that Amaechi was the 2015 and also 2019 presidential campaigns manager, the minister of transportation had in the past developed into the role of the South-South leader of the party regularly dispensing favours and directing the affairs of the party. It is believed that Amaechi had supported Odigie-Oyegun until he became unsellable and was a major force in the candidacy of Ebri as a contender to Oshiomhole. When last month South-South chieftains of the party gathered to endorse Oshiomhole, the Rivers State officials of the party loyal to Amaechi were the first to denounce the anointment. The emergence of Oshiomhole as party chairman could inevitably make him the leader of the party in the South-South region. Would Amaechi accept to play second fiddle? Would Oshiomhole treat him with suspicion given the claims that Amaechi was a supporter of Odigie-Oyegun, and then Ebri? Delta’s thorns Odigie-Oyegun was believed to have developed a rapport with the Olorogun Ortega Emerhor faction in Delta State, a relationship that has continued to befuddle some party observers in the state. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru seeing that relationship became early supporters of the Oshiomhole tendency in the party. Given the fact that Odigie-Oyegun swore in Cyril Ogodo who is loyal to Emerhor as chairman, the Omo-Agege/Ogboru faction would be looking forward to project their chairman, Prophet Jones Erue get the recognition of the new leadership.
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