The National Vice Chairman, South South of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ntufam Hilliard has admitted that the party would have lost face as a national party if it had lost the last governorship elections in Edo state.
Eta who spoke while inaugurating a committee to plan “a befitting send-off” for Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that the party would have been totally embarrassed if It had lost the home state of its national chairman and the only state controlled by the party in the south south.
He said the decision of the people of Edo state to vote for the APC during the election. Was a clear indication of the landmark achievement of the comrade governor during his eight years stint as governor of the state.
According to him, the people of Edo state had the opportunity of assessing the ten year reign of the PDP in the state and compare it with the eight years of the APC, pointing out the if Oshiomhole did not do well as governor, the people would not have voted for the APC.
“You will agree with me that if His excellency, Governor Oshiomhole did not perform well while serving a the governor of Edo state,the Edo people would not have voted for our great party in the just concluded governorship election. Can you imagine the embarrassment we would have recovered as a ruling party if we had lost that election, the home state of our national chairman.”
He disclosed that the party decided to honour the outgoing governor for doing the party proud and to serve as a source of encouragement for other members of the party who have been called to service.
Responding, Chairman of the committee and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche described Oshiomhole as a fighter in the democratic space who has always stood beside the masses in the fight against injustice.
Nwuche recalled how Oshiomhole, as President of the Nigeria Labour Congress led workers to picket the National Assembly on a number of occasion on crucial national issues.
According to him, Comrade Oshiomhole took the same spirit to Edo state, leaving a landmark achievement and paid minimum wage to workers in the state at a time many states could jot pay.
While attributing the party’s victory to his performance, he commended the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for leading the party to victory in the state.
Speaking with newsmen after the inauguration, Nwuche said the Buhari government was doing everything possible to tackle the current recession in the country and appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the government.
He said: “The government is doing its best to tackle the economic recession and doing their best to remedy the situation. Nigerians should be patient with government and give it time to enfold its agenda for the country but I think so far so good. You will agree with me that we are going through a global recession but we should keep supporting the government to ensure that they take us out of the storm.”
On the fight against corruption, the former Deputy Speaker said: “I think every Nigerian agrees that we should fight the scourge of corruption otherwise Nigeria cannot develop. Where people differ sometimes is in terms of methods but I believe that even the methods will be refined as we progress. One thing is to give government support and where we find errors we can tell them and correct government.
“But the most important thing is that we need to fight corruption and ensure that Nigerians must encourage government for the courage it has shown and efforts so far.
“Every party at its nascent in government will definitely have some upheavals. It’s normal with parties, when they assume power newly they have internal crisis but I know the party will surmount it and get stronger. I believe it is a work in progress”.
