Oyegun Is New APC Chairman Former Edo State Governor, John Oyegun, has emerged the new Chairman of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Oyeguns emergence followed a series of intense negotiations and horse trading among various contending forces in the party. Oyegun will succeed the interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande. His nomination was subsequently ratified by APC delegates at the first National Convention of the party, holding at the Eagles Square, Abuja. Mr. Oyegun’s candidature it was learnt, was promoted by a national leader of the party amd former Governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu. Mr. Oyegun’s main challenger and former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva, who was the candidate of choice for the governors elected under the banner of the party, reportedly stepped down for Mr. Oyegun earlier in the day. In a related development, a new National Secretary in the person of Mai Mala Buni from Yobe state was elected to replace Tijjani Tumsah. Mr. Buni’s emergence followed an announcement by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar shortly after voting had commenced that the elders from the North East geopolitical zone, where the position was zoned to, had convinced former National Assembly presidential liaison officer, Kashim Imam, to step down. Also, former Governor Segun Oni was also elected the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South) while a former National Secretary of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Lawal Shuaibu, was elected Deputy National Chairman (North). Mr. Oni, a former Vice-Chairman (South-West) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, joined the APC a few weeks ago. Mr. Shuaibu’s main challenger, a former member of the House of Representatives from Higawa state, Farouk Aliyu, a candidate supported by ex-Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, was also persuaded to step down on the eve of the convention. The current Interim spokesperson of the party, Lai Mohammed, was returned as the National Publicity Secretary of the party. Mr. Mohammed was elected unopposed.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 08:53:52 +0000