2019: Northern Leaders Okay Oyegun For 2nd Term

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – With groups and individuals already honing their political skills ahead of 2019 general elections, high-profiled leaders in the North West geo-political zone have endorsed the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for a second term in office.

Consequently, the leaders have challenged the former Edo State governor to put himself forward to re-contest the governing Party’s national chairmanship position.

However, political pundits are quick to criticize the move as part of on-going maneuverings and calculations by those drumming support for President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2019 presidential polls.  

Rising from a meeting in Sokoto recently, the zone’s leaders said; “We are enthusiastically encouraging Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to run again as chairman. It is for the good of the party.”

The Leaders, acting on the platform of the APC United Front, insisted that Chief Oyegun deserved second term support, having acquitted himself well and achieved a lot as the Party Chairman.

Giving kudos to the Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee (NWC) as highly successful, the leaders said; “Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has capacity to lead the APC into election in 2019”.

According to them; “The success of the governing party does not only rest on his ideas but on his person, his charisma, supervision, initiative and vision”

They explained that giving the former governor  with another term in office, would be an appropriate reward for a man who has worked hard and remained focused in consolidating the governing party’s electoral fortunes; getting the progressives back to basics; and changing the character of Nigeria’s political landscape, adding; “Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has become the standard yardstick to measure performance in party’s administration and he deserves to continue leading the ruling party”

The APC United Front, which described critics of the Chairman’s leadership style as ‘brash’ and ‘narrow-minded’, stated that; “They are playing cheap politics. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is a rare Nigerian and a shining example of how to serve the people. He has discharged himself very well”

In a statement issued by the group, its leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa said the northern political leaders would continue to canvass votes and convinced party members nationwide on the need to give Oyegun another shot at the position to enable him continue offering open and fair competition; positive relationship; support for the grassroots; and stability within the APC.

The Front, in praising Oyegun as a great leader that has built strong and lasting structures for APC in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said; “We are asking APC members in the North-East, North-Central, South-East, South-West and South-South to support Oyegun” for all his good works in the party.

Identifying the Chairman with level-headedness; advancing internal cohesiveness; promoting elections of progressives; and instituting fairness in the party, the group, said, being happy with his performance these past years, ” Oyegun is a chairman with a record of party service, growth, positive encouragement and impact.”

“We still need him to help raise money and elect candidates in 2019. Anyone who runs against the current national chairman is going to be in for a rude shock and awakening” the Front warned.

The APC United Front leaders also had words of caution for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), predicting that the opposition party would not only meet an electoral Waterloo, but also face the political survival contest of its life come 2019.

“The assurance is that the PDP will suffer a humiliating electoral defeat in February and March 2019 to the point that it would be unable recover and continue as a political party after the general elections”, the group boasted.

But the ‘Oyegun for second term’ campaign is not without its fair share of criticisms with APC insiders describing it as a bait for the National Chairman’s supporters and sympathizers to readily endorse President Buhari’s second term bid when the time comes later in the year.

One top party chieftain, who refused having his name in print, said with so many interests around the National Chairmanship position, it is a tough call asking for an endorsement for Oyegun seen by many as ‘too soft and gutless’ when it comes to taking prompt and crucial decisions on party issues.  

The competent source further stated that the “thinking from the North-west zone is that endorsement for Oyegun will trigger off similar approval for the President and perhaps all others within the system as part of the political compromise towards 2019.”

“For now, what I can tell you is that most of us are watching events as they unfold. But one thing is sure, nobody will be bamboozled into take any rash decision and at the appropriate time, which may be very soon, things will certainly take their proper shape going forward”, our source said.