APC Reps Have Endorsed Oshiomhole’s Chairmanship Bid — Gbajabiamila

The All Progressives Congress’ (APC) members at the House of Representatives have endorsed Adams Oshiomhole as the next chairman of the ruling party.

Femi Gbajabiamila, House Majority Leader, on Wednesday said the APC House members met with Mr Oshiomhole yesterday and are now convinced that the former Edo State governor possess adequate qualities to lead the ruling party.

“We sat down for over two hours with Comrade Oshiomole and had a heart-to-heart discussion and we are all on the same page,” Mr Gbajabiamila said in a Twitter update Wednesday morning. “As a result of that solicitation, we as the @OfficialAPCNg caucus in the House of Representatives believe in him.”

“We have more or less endorsed him,” he emphasised.

Mr Oshiomhole joined the race for the ruling party’s chairmanship last week, following weeks of high-profile endorsements that reportedly included President Muhammadu Buhari.

A former Lagos State governor and major broker in the APC, Bola Tinubu, is also said to be backing Mr Oshiomhole.

Mr Oshiomhole’s victory is all but assured in the party’s convention slated for June 23. The incumbent chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, has reportedly withdrawn from the race after calculating that he will not be able to neutralise the threat posed by Mr Oshiomhole.

The APC restricted its chairmanship slot to the Edo State, making it difficult to find another viable choice outside Mr Oshiomhole.

Mr Oshiomhole, who stepped down as Edo governor after completing two terms, said he would lead the party to a better future. Should he go ahead to become the party’s chairman as widely expected, he would spend his early weeks mending fences within the party.

The violent ward and local council congresses organised by the party have left several top politicians within its ranks seething. Other power blocs within the party, like the nPDP, are also threatening to derail the party’s prospects ahead of 2019.

But Mr Oshiomhole reportedly assured members of the APC caucus during the Tuesday meeting that he was up to task, with specific regards to the 2019 elections.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara was among those present at the meeting, and all the members reportedly expressed confidence in Mr Oshiomhole’s competence.