Former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has vowed to make the All Progressives Congress, APC, a political party where every member will have sense of belonging with equal opportunity and mutual respect for one another.
Oshiomhole stated this Tuesday when he met Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, and caucus of the party to intimate them of his intention to contest for the position of national chairman.
Addressing the APC senators in the Upper Chamber at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, Oshiomhole, who admitted that organs of the ruling party had not been functioning as expected, however, promised to change the trend if elected as the next national chairman.
”We can speak to a party when party members at various levels meet, debate and agree on a particular direction. And that agreement becomes the party’s position.
“I think we’ve had a couple of problems, but I’m convinced that by my background and one who has also grown to become a governor but I never oppressed anyone, I think I have passed through all the stages and I am fairly informed about the challenges of governance and the challenges of a political party.
“I believe that given the opportunity to chair our party, that there are couple of things we must necessarily do differently. We cannot dream of a party in which there are no disagreements. If we have one like that, it means the party is not democratic. In a genuine democracy, nobody will seem to be able to get everything that he wants. But everybody can get everything that we are able to negotiate. And the driver of this process has to compromise.
“And when we approach matters with an open mind, we can do business. I am confident that working with leaders with open mind, all of these issues can be resolved. I just want to assure Your Excellencies that working with you, I believe the All Progressives Congress can and will fulfill its mission and become a party that is different.
“Having been a governor for eight years, I have some understanding between the Legislature and the Executive whether at the federal or state level. And therefore equipped with this experience, I believe that the party will not be a spectator or a siddon look party while various arms of government are at each other’s throat.
“We have a common opponent that is not difficult to identify. And we know who is our opponent. We cannot be opponents of ourselves.
“I believe that working and getting support from all of you that together we can re-brand our party, strengthen it, give it a more positive image, giving our owners a sense of ownership and participation and together we will confront the forthcoming election and remind Nigerians that even if we haven’t fixed all the problems, there is no question that there is a genuine commitment to begin to address those problems and that we can’t fix it three years what was destroyed in 16 years and a journey of a million miles starts with one correct step. We have a duty to reassure Nigerians that this party is capable of delivering and sustaining the change that we promised.”
He added that the party must assure Nigerians that it had the capacity to deliver on its promised change.
The former governor who told the APC lawmakers in the Senate that he has all what it takes to rebrand and strengthen the party, said that as party members who cherished democracy, it would be difficult to dream of a party where there were no disagreements.
Oshiomhole, who was in company of the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate) to the President, Senator Ita Enang, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade AbdulWaheed Omar, Senator Domingo Obende, Patrick Obahiagbon, among others, promised that he would make APC a true progressive party if elected into office.
The former Edo State governor, who disclosed that he was in the Senate to inform the party caucus of his intention to contest for the national chairmanship office as well as seek their support to clinch the position, assured the lawmakers that if elected as the chairman,
He said: “People celebrate democracy everywhere in the world because dictatorship is not participatory like democracy”.
Speaking extempore, Oshiomhole said: “The various organs of the party haven’t functioned in the manner that was anticipated. And I believe that without those organs functioning, we are just a collection of individuals.
Responding, Saraki thanked Oshiomhole for coming, saying that he has the capacity, ability to take up the challenge of APC National Chairman.
