Several former governors and political heavyweights begin jostling to become next APC chairman

NUMEROUS political heavyweights including several former state governors have thrown their hats into the ring to become the next chairman of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) after the party resolved to replace the incumbent Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun, 79, had been expecting to have his tenure extended by another year until after the 2019 elections but President Muhammadu Buhari has managed to convince APC leaders to have a fresh chairman going into the polls. As a result, the party will elect a new chairman and national executive committee and jostling for positions has already begun.

Former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomole is thought to be the frontrunner as he is said to have the backing of President Buhari. Other candidates said to be in the running include a former senate president Chief Ken Nnamani, the minister of science and technology Dr Ogbonna Onu and a former governor of Cross River State Chief Clement Ebri.

Chief Ebri, who was elected at the age of 39, is said to have been contacting party leaders via WhatsApp messages, announcing his intention to stand.  In one of the messages he sent, he stated that every political actor in Cross River State had been influenced by the Ebri legacy.

However, APC governors are yet to take a definite position on who they would support for the position. Sources close to the governors said they were more concerned about who would preside over the party’s national convention and those who would be in the convention committee.

One party source said: “The issue of chairmanship, though very important, would be decided after we put in place the members of the national convention committee. The governors want one of their own to lead it and President Muhammadu Buhari may oblige them.

“Many interests would also be considered in choosing the national chairman but the battle of who occupies the office starts with the membership of the national convention planning committee. That is what we are after now.”

Next week, the APC's National Working Committee will determine the agenda for the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which has been scheduled for Monday. APC publicity secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the NEC meeting scheduled for Monday would hold despite rumours making the rounds that it might be shifted.