VON DG Asks Oshiomhole to Place Buhari’s Interest Above Other Aggrieved Members

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Worried by the crisis that characterized last Sunday’s governorship primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in many states, including Enugu, the Director – General of Voice of Nigeria VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has warned that unless the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshimole retraces his step as quick as possible, the president Muhammadu Buhari’s 2nd term ambition in 2019 may be dashed.

He therefore, urged the national chairman to put the interest of President Muhammadu Buhari first in taking decisions.

The gubernatorial primaries of APC suffered setbacks in states like Enugu and some other states where one person reportedly lost his life

Addressing newsmen in Enugu, Monday, the VON boss, an ardent supporter of President Buhari warned that if Oshiomhole fails to retrace his steps as quickly as possible, then the President’s hope for re-election in 2019 could be jeopardizes.

The VON DG said Oshiomhole must realize that APC has a king in the person of President Buhari whose interest must supersede any other interests.

Okechukwu reiterated his position that South East would be a shoreline for President Buhari to cover what may be lost in North Central and South-West, now that nobody knows who would be the presidential candidate of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He particularly frowned at the cancellation of the gubernatorial primaries of APC in Enugu State when the exercise had gone midway.

Okechukwu noted that the National Working Committee (NWC) published the mode for conducting primaries in various states and approved indirect primaries for Enugu State.

According to him, APC has a constitution and the same congress that produced the party executives in Enugu State from the ward, local government and produced Oshiomhole and other national officers of the party.

“So, if Oshiomhole finds that the election of executive in Enugu State is faulty, then his own election is also faulty. If Oshiomhole sets up a panel headed by Professor Moses Momoh to conduct the governorship primaries in Enugu State and the man took pains to do accreditation and get people to start voting, only for him to call and direct that the exercise should be cancelled, I wonder what would happen to the massive support that the President has garnered here including people like former Governors, Jim Nwobodo and Sullivan Chime, Emperor Baywood Ibe and numerous others.

“When Oshiomhole called, he asked if Osita Okechukwu was there. I said I was there. He asked if Juliet Ibekaku was there. I said she is not a governorship aspirant. She is not even a delegate. We must put Mr. President first before other pawns in the chessboard. With our massive support for Mr. President, Comrade will be de-marketing APC in the South East. I am sure if Mr. President hears about this, he will call him to order,” Okechukwu said.

He insisted that the faction of the party supporter by Mrs. Ibekaku and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geofrey Onyeama, lost out during the party congresses and instead of aligning with the mainstream, were busy trying to destroy the President’s massive support in Enugu State.

Okechukwu noted that people like Jim Nwobodo, Sullivan Chime and Emperor Baywood Ibe were not vying for any position or looking for any favour from the party, and yet they give all their time and resources towards uplifting APC and Mr. President in Enugu State.