… Says ‘I’m not interested in returning as APC Chairman’
FORMER National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, said on Monday, that he was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to reassure President Muhammadu Buhari of his absolute loyalty.
Oshiomhole disclosed this just as he denied the allegation by the Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, that he was scheming to return as the National Chairman of the ruling party.
He spoke while addressing State House Correspondents in Abuja.
The Point had reported that Oshiomhole was ushered in earlier this morning by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, to see Buhari.
The former Edo State Governor said only an “empty brain” would say he was plotting to return to the position, wondering why anyone would think that he would like to resit a class after he had passed.
He also claimed that the DG was fronting for certain elements within the party, whom he described as cowards, adding that he was imposed on the Governors Forum by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi.
He said, “You want me to engage in a fight with a pig? If you engage in a fight with a pig, the pig already is stained by its nature, and you will wear your white garment, and in my own case, khaki, to go and wrestle with a pig? I will not.
“What I want the media to talk about is winning Edo. When I was removed as national chairman, Edo was APC. Do I have to win Edo to become the chairman? Do I look so unemployed? I’m 68. What they don’t understand is that it is not the office of chairman that made me who I am.
“It takes an empty brain to suggest that Oshiomhole wants to stage a comeback to become the national chairman. For what? To go and do a resit?
“He (Lukman) contested for Senate against Makarfi; he lost. He even contested against Governor El-Rufai during the primaries and he lost before Fayemi unilaterally appointed him the DG. So, if he is now the spokesman abusing me, you want to drag me to his level? No.”
Expatiating on the reason for his visit to Buhari, Oshiomhole said he went there to express appreciation for his leadership, adding that he also used the opportunity to brief the President about the activities of APC in Edo State.
“From my evaluation shared with him, I’m very confident that we will win the election, hands down, because Edo is basically an APC state,” Oshiomhole declared.
