The former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie – Oyegun on Friday emerged as the consensus National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
There were three major contenders for the National Chairmanship position namely Chief Tom Ikimi, former Bayelsa State governor, Timipreye Silva and Chief John Oyegun.
However, midway into the convention, Mr Silva stepped down for Chief Oyegun.
Although Chief Oyegun emerged as the consensus chairman, the party still conducted an election to satisfy INEC guidelines for party conventions and also party rules, which stipulates that election must still hold even though a consensus candidate emerges.
In his acceptance speech, titled “WE MUST SET FORTH AT DAWN”, Chief Oyegun accepted to lead the Party “onto the next phase of its evolution and onwards to the fulfillment of its destined mission as the liberator of the Nigerian people.”
Addressing the state of the nation, Oyegun described Nigeria as “a nation blessed by the Almighty with all the key endowments to make any nation great” but decried corruption which “has been virtually brought to its knees”.
He further stated that corruption in Nigeria “is unbridled and will qualify for the Guinness Books of Records.”
However, he described APC as the answer to the prayer of Nigerians, promising that “in 2015, the All Progressives Congress will provide Nigerians with a visionary, dedicated and people-oriented leadership that will liberate the nation from PDP’s rule of poverty and oppression.”
