APC Is Government In Waiting, Says New Chairman, Oyegun

The newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun spoke to journalists in Benin City on his vision for the party.  The first civilian governor of Edo State also spoke on why Nigerians should vote in the APC into power in next year’s general elections and other issues. ALEMMA-OZIORUVA ALIU was there.

HOW did you emerge as the national chairman of the party?

Yes, it was by consensus and in spite of that, we still had an election; there was voting. You could have voted ‘Nay’ even if I was the only candidate and if the ‘Nays’ are more than the ‘Ayes’ that is the end of the matter. I don’t get elected. There was nobody competing with me who didn’t voluntarily withdraw. Also, there was nobody who came to the convention venue, insisted on a vote and the vote was not taken.

After your election, some people who contested with you felt aggrieved. How are you trying to bring everybody back into the fold?

  For those who felt rightly or wrongly aggrieved, it doesn’t matter if they are right or wrong.  My job is to make peace. And it wasn’t just at my level; there were several levels during the convention. I have given equal attention to all.

  There was a little bit of bad blood over the position of secretary and other positions and I have reached out to every one of the significantly aggrieved people. Some have responded, some have not responded but there is no giving up.