Oshiomhole Forecloses Automatic Tickets For Kogi, Bauchi, Kaduna Governors

Abuja / Lagos – As the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meets tomorrow, a reliable source hinted Daily Independent on Tuesday that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the party, may have shut the door of automatic ticket against some “non-performing governors” of the party.

Among the governors are those of Kogi, Bauchi and Kaduna states whose performance, according to the party’s rating, are “far below” the mark to warrant endorsement of the party.

A reliable insider at the party’s national secretariat hinted that Oshiomhole rebuffed pressures to drop his insistence on performance as the yardstick for the endorsement of the party ahead of 2019.

According to our source, it is because of this reason the national chairman is pushing for adoption of direct primaries to select the party’s flagbearers for the forthcoming elections.

“Yes it is true, the national chairman is not backing some governors because of their poor performance. He has said repeatedly that the party cannot guarantee automatic ticket for some aspirants, especially governors whose performance fall far short of expectations.

“That is the reason he is pushing for direct primaries, because if direct primaries are used, some of the governors will not have a chance, and they know this. That is why they are kicking against it. But one thing is certain, direct primaries will be used in the South West. They have adopted that.

The only zone that direct primaries may not be used may be some states of North East because of the fragile security situation there, but as for other zones, it may be used. But let’s wait and see what happens later today”, our source said.

Meanwhile, the September 22 governorship election in Osun State, as well as discussion of the venue for the national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may dominate discussions at the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting tomorrow.

According to a credible source in the party, other issues that may be discussed are the ratification of the proposed timetable forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and modalities for congresses and primaries.

In a leaked notice signed by Oshiomhole last week, the party proposed to hold nationwide congresses on September 8.

The notice to INEC dated August 17 also proposed that presidential primaries would take place on September 19.

Other proposals included the House of Representatives primaries – September 19; Senatorial primaries – September 20; Governorship primaries – September 24, and House of Assembly primaries – September 29.

Our source also added that the issue of the Senate presidency was another critical issue that would be discussed at the NEC meeting as the APC, which claimed it had majority in the Senate was reportedly strategising on how to remove Senate President Bukola Saraki who defected from the party to the Peoples Democracy (PDP).

He said the NEC would set up a campaign committee which would comprise sitting governors and former governors who would take charge of affairs of the governorship election in Osun State.

According to our source, “The NEC meeting will hold on Thursday but today they are holding the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), and tonight is the caucus meeting.

“Basically, they will deal with the issues of the election timetable, venue of the presidential primaries.

“They are discussing the forthcoming governorship election in Osun. They are going to set up a campaign committee and also map out strategies to retain the state for APC. They will also discuss strategies to win the 2019 election.”

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Uduaghan, former governor of Delta State, was on Tuesday unveiled as a member of the APC at the party’s caucus meeting in Abuja.

The former governor, who is seeking to represent Delta South Senatorial District in 2019, in an interview with Daily Independent recently had said his decision to dump his party, the PDP, for the APC was borne out of his conviction that Delta State, where he served two terms as governor, should not be in the opposition.

“The situation is more from the situation on the ground in PDP and my political future. I am also looking at my political future and those of my followers. I have studied the political terrain and I believe that Delta State should not be in opposition,” he had said.