APC governors back Oshiomhole for national chairmanship job

State governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have again announced their endorsement of former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole, for election as national chairman of the party.

The governors who trooped into the former governor’s campaign office on Tuesday said they were there to show support and solidarity to the man they said they deemed fit for the job.

Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Bagudu, while addressing journalists, said all the governors elected on the platform of the party were in support of Mr Oshiomhole’s bid.

“All of us. Our party is looking forward to the chairmanship of Adams Oshiomole,” the governor said.

“He has experience in various aspects of national life and we are all confident that party is a structure that is necessary for the continuous evolution and maintenance of democracy and his collective experience in the recent past as executive governor of Edo State, one of the most successful leaders of trade unions, and a democratic activist all his life.

“These qualities will be brought to bear in achieving the ideals of the APC. So we believe he will be a leader, he will be the embodiment of the spirit of the party and the experience will help him to make contribution to governance.”

Asked if there were other candidates aside Mr Oshiomhole the governor’s are supporting, he said “I am not the chairman of the Progressives Governor’s Forum, but I can tell you that Adams Oshiomhole is my candidate as a governor and all the governors I know, he is their candidate for chairmanship.”

As a message to other contenders in the race, he said since the party had found someone fit for the job, they should all come together.

“We believe that we have identified someone who can do the job and will be able to start and in that spirit to demonstrate by coming together. We believe he is the best fit for the job.”

Party leader, Bola Tinubu, who also showed up at the campaign said his presence was a show of support and solidarity.

The Ondo State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, told journalists about Mr Oshiomhole: “He is one of us, that is why we had to come and identify with him here and you know what that means. You know he is running for the office of the chairman of the party, so we have to come and identify with him.”

Asked if identifying with Mr Oshiomhole meant he had been adopted by the governors, he said: “Well, I am not the chairman of the governors forum so I should not be speaking for the governors. But let’s just say I know for me and for us in Ogun State, we are supporting him.”

Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was also there to show his support likewise Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

“You know Kano State has the largest number of delegates to the national convention and by seeing me here, it means all the votes from Kano State will go to the former governor of Edo State . In fact, it seems numerically, he is winning the election before the election,” Mr Ganduje said.

“Speaking for Ondo State, it’s so clear even to a blind person to know that we don’t rarely have a contest for the office of the chairman. Be that as it is, I believe that when we come in in full force, you will see where our votes are, that is if there is ever any contest. But I am sure that we are here to savour the office of the incoming chairman of our party,” Mr Akeredolu said.

Other governors who appeared at the office on Tuesday were the Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, and Plateau state governor Simon Lalong.

A contestant for the position of chairman, Emokpaire Ibrahim, who announced his withdrawal from the race on Tuesday was also there to show his support for Mr Oshiomhole.