Odigie-Oyegun must go, says Tinubu
Odigie-Oyegun must go, says Tinubu
The controversy over the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming election in Ondo State is further tearing the party leaders apart.
Aggrieved National Leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday called on the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to resign.
Tinubu, who broke his silence on the controversy surrounding the party’s governorship primary held on September 3 in Ondo, said in a statement yesterday that the APC, “a party born of the quest for democratic good governance”, was under critical threat by those who managed to be in it but are never of it.
He accused Odigie-Oyegun of breaching the principles of democratic fairness and justice meant to guide the party’s internal deliberations.
“To rescue the party, Odigie-Oyegun must go,” Tinubu said.
Efforts to get the APC chairman’s reaction to the matter yesterday failed as all calls to his phone were not picked.
Tinubu’s statement reads in part: “In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived. As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
“He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process. Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters. The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was willfully executed that the primary would be directed towards a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the many into believing they were outnumbered.
“A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice.
“Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence. In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC).
“After many hours of deliberations spanning several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before then, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy. The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance. However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise.
“After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman, Odigie-Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Odigie-Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting. Odigie-Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate of the party.”
Related
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
13 Comments
A company of men of integrity and openness indeed. Let APC save Nigeria from their dunce dance
SO FAR:
1. In terms of enacting policies, APC is better than PDP.
2. In terms of implementing enacted policies, APC may be better than PDP.
3. In terms of anti-corruption initiatives, APC is not different from PDP.
*Verdict: no matter how good policies are, you can never achieve desired results with the level of monumental corruption in the polity. *Dogara,Jubrin,Saraki,Tinubu,Aba Kyari, PMB, etc…
My friend, i agree with you in part…..but, there is not way APC is better in anyway to PDP in anything, though, i do not believe or like anyone of them either.
HMmmmmm
APC is the worst party in Nigeria. See how they have ruined the country just after 18 months of governance.
bunch of criminals! it didn’t take them very long to start the usual infighting
Now the hen has come to roost. The power at the centre has hijacked the ruling party chairman and he is no longer himself. Another credence to why there must be restructuring of the polity which must also cut across the political party system. Excuse me; why should the determination of a party candidate for Ondo State lies with few people in Abuja who perhaps are not even Ondo State indigene?
What concerns Tinubu with Ondo state election?
Party Supremacy must mean something different to their Sawdust Caesar depending on which side his mood switches to. Kachikwu at one time was kicked by Tinubu for asking Nigerians to thank their God for the little they are able to do yet and Kachikwu apologised. Same with Saraki’s election and Tinubu’s plan to annul same .
Tinubu now has to apologize to all APC members in Ondo for putting unguarded MUSCLES against their attempts at choosing a worthy Candidate which they eventually got. The fake Abraham making unnecessary noise should have read the submission of their Party Nation Legal Adviser that the Appeal Panel took many things for granted in arriving at their OBTUSE judgement. And who for God’s sake set up Tinubu into believing what took place at the NWC of the Party?
I must however warn, that Tinubu stands to lose and would lose BADLY if he thinks DECISIONS are meant for him only to TAKE. If democracy is for the people, then Tinubu should have played a noble role but not this unwarranted BLACKMAIL.
who is this Tinubu Self that can decide at anytime to fire the chairman without recourse to proper channel?
If what Tinubu has submitted here is exactly how it happened, Odigie-Oegun might not have much to say. But the beauty of democracy is that all the aspects to any case must be heard. Let Odigie-Oyegun speak out now. A grievous allegation has been leveled against him. We need to hear him first.
WHAT GOES UP WILL EVENTUALLY COMES DOWN , YOU SHALL SURELY BE PAID WITH THE COINS YOU PAID OTHERS. MIND YOU , THE WHOLE AFFAIRS IS ALL ABOUT OUT – SMARTING ONE ANOTHER, NEVER MIND ALL OF THEM. THEY ARE ALL PRANKS PLAYERS. GOD BLESS NIGERIA
When the Western Region debacle started, it was taken as a small issue. Nobody knows the end yet, This Ondo issue may be the beginning of the end of APC and by extrapolation may be the end of the present situation of Nigeria.. Let Oyegun state his side of the case and let Nigeria judge. Meanwhile, Buhari cannot fold his arms. He has to take charge and put an end to this ugly situation. Shame on APC. Is this the change Nigerians voted for?
We will review and take appropriate action.