Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Appearing to have put their personal animosity aside for the larger interest of their party, two former National Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole have urged party members in Edo State and Nigeria at large to close ranks and work as one in the interest of the party.
The duo made the appeal in Benin weekend at a stakeholders meeting of the party on the heels of the just concluded membership registration exercise in the state.
The two APC chiefs fought bitterly on opposite side in the last governorship election. While Oshiomhole supported the aspiration Pastor Ize Iyamu on the platform of the APC, Oyegun supported the re-election bid of the incumbent, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who had earlier defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after he was disqualified by the APC Governorship Screening Committee.
But, last weekend, the two men, who commended the State Caretaker Committee of the party led by Col David Imuse, Rtd, for the success of the exercise in the state, expressed optimism that the “future is very bright for the APC as a party.”
Oshiomhole urged party members in the state to close ranks and work with the leadership of the party at the state and all other levels, harmoniously in the overall interest of the party.
On his part, Oyegun while reiterating his membership of the party said, “Let us put the past behind and let us look at the future”, adding, “I am APC. I belong to APC – body and soul.”
Oyegun, who is also the chairman, Governing Council, University of Ibadan, appealed to party leaders to recognise the role of party members in the growth of the party.
“Every member of the party including party leaders have a contribution to make for the improvement and success of the party”, he said, adding, “No individual can be greater than the party”.
Earlier, Imuse described the just concluded membership registration exercise as a huge success, adding that the turnout of eager voters to join the party was quite impressive against the backdrop of the fact that the party is in opposition in Edo state.
“Right now, the APC has a very credible and reliable data base of its members, in every unit across the entire country. Our party is now a stronger and more united party as a result of the exceptional membership registration exercise.
“The implication of this healthy development is that in subsequent, free and fair elections, our party is confident of undisputable victory. But this does not mean we should rest on our oars. We must stay focused, awake, and be alert to the whiles of our opponents. We must keep working as one, united and indivisible members of the APC, so that, we can stop them, very early, on their nefarious tracks,” Imuse said.
