Ahead of the national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), one of the chairmanship aspirants and former govermor of Edo state, Adams Aliyu Oshiomohle, has expressed confidence about his solid support base across the country against three other “heavyweights.”
Other aspirants in the race with Comrade Oshiomohle including his predecessor Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Cross River governor Clement Ebri and Chief Ibrahim Emokpaire
The former Labour union leader has appointed one time Minority Leader House of Representatives Hon. Faruk Adamu Aliyu, as his Campaign Director.
Speaking with newsmen yesterday during the official opening of his campaign office in Abuja, Oshiomohle, expressed confidence that many governors, National Assembly members and other party stakeholders will support his aspiration.
“In a boxing match, you do not ask a featherweight to go into the ring wit a heavyweight. It is going to be a very interesting convention. I think for all of us who believe in democracy, this is to be expected.”
On whether he is scared that some governors would not support him, he said, “I want to talk about my own state that many people at various levels including governors, senators past and present and our current governor, I am very hopeful that they will be in my support.”
When asked to comment on President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration on June 12, Oshiomohle said:”I think we should salute the president for is statemanship. There are many things he has done over the past three years that are outstanding in terms of finding the political will and demonstrating statemanship. That his decision, which is a bold decision to acknowledge that June 12 cannot be wished away as a non-event, I think he deserves commendation across party divides because for those who voted, it was just a urge shock and pain that about 14 million people tat voted, the cancellation was like an April Fools Day.
“So, for him to acknowledge Abiola in the manner that he did and confer on him posthumously an award meant for people who are president’s mean that he has settled the question. The only ting he would have wished to do which he cannot do was to bring Abiola back to life which is beyond human.
“The second thing is the outstanding contribution of Chief Gani Faweinmi because a lot of Nigerians would ask you, what does it take to serve the people? For President Buhari to come out and honour Gani Fawehinmi, means there were many activists but Fawehinmi could easily be seen as the foremost among them. Not only did every successive government sent him to prison not on account of fighting for his father’s parcel of land but on account of his stubborn insistence that government should deliver to the people.”
