By Emeka Ejere
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention in Abuja has affirmed formereDO State governor Adams Oshiohmole, as the National Chairman.
The convention also affirmed the election of 19 other officers.
Earlier in his address, President Muhammadu Buhari, appealed to aggrieved members of the party to keep faith with the party, saying that things would soon be put right.
He made the appeal on Saturday in Abuja at the party’s National Convention, adding that the party would emerge stronger from the convention.
The President, who added that the party would emerge stronger from the convention, however, told the 6,800 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other party members that the crisis in some of the party’s state chapters was a price the party had to pay for its electoral victory in 2015.
He further appealed to the delegates to shun personal interests and to accept the outcome of the convention in good faith in the interest of the party and the nation.
The party’s outgoing National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, thanked President Buhari for the opportunity to work for the party and to work closely with him.
He said “I feel a deep sense of fullfilment and inner peace for seeing this day and the colour added to the event.”
Odigie-Oyegun also thanked the party’s chieftains and founding fathers for what he called “principled leadership” and for refusing to be deceived by negative media reports and obvious challenges.
The thanked the 21 member-APC National Working Committee (NWC) which he headed, noting that“though we argued most times, we always reached a resolution.”
He further thanked the party’s members across the federation, saying “today, I am making my exit from the honour you bestowed on me to lead you.
“Phase one of this party has ended, phase two is about to start, I wish my successor a fair weather in office.”
The former Governor of Edo, Adams Oshionhole, is the sole chairmanship candidate of the party.
This followed the withdrawal of three other aspirants, including former Cross River Governor, Chief Clement Ebri from the race, as the tenure of the Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC ends on June 25.
Delegates exchange blows during Buhari’s speech
Meanwhile, some delegates at the convention exchanged blows while President Muhammadu Buhari was delivering his speech.
Trouble started after a group loyal to Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, arrived at the stand reserved for Imo delegates.
They asked those loyal to Eze Madumere, the deputy governor, to vacate the seats.
The order was resisted, leading to fisticuffs as the private security guard of the governor called “Okorocha Good Governance ” descended on members of the group.
Hillary Eke, chairman of the anti-Okorocha faction, was forcefully thrown out of his seat alongside other members of the executives.
Osita Izunazo, organizing national secretary of the APC who is opposed to Okorocha, was not spared as he was led out of the pavilion.
Similarly, the Delta State factions of the party also engaged themselves in free-for-all.
The aggrieved delegates also threw brooms, the party’s symbol, at each other.
He singled out Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the APC and Tony Mommoh, former chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for a mention.