Oshiomhole, who made a formal declaration for the chairmanship seat in Abuja, said he would add value to the party and help deepen the nation’s democracy.
He commended the efforts put into building the party by its founding chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and the current national chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, saying history would be very kind to them and their contribution to the nation’s democracy.
The ex-governor said: “I want to assure the leaders of the party that I am clear as to what my responsibilities will be if elected the national chairman of the party. I want to be of help. I want to be of use to those who need it. But I am not capable of being used.
“There is so much suspicion in our political space. People fight over things they are not even sure what the details are. They are fueled and sustained by suspicion. The way to remove suspicion is to put on the table what is on the table and leave it under the table there until it comes to the top of the table. I want to assure you that I believe that with a new leadership of the APC and with our president, there will be time to engage in all those contestations.
“My task here today is very simple and that is to announce formally my intention to contest by the special grace of God, the office of the national chairman of the governing party in Nigeria today, the All Progressives Congress. I thought it is important that I make this formal announcement even though this is just one of those public secrets.
“Somehow, my candidate has been discussed both in the print and electronic media, in beer parlors and business houses. I guess in every gathering of men and women who are concerned about our democracy, my possible candidature had become an issue for conversation. This is because of the way the whole project has evolved.”
