The pathway to a rancour-free convention was being paved by meetings here and there by governors and other major stakeholders to reduce tension by political gladiators whose aspirations may have been underpinned by projecting their interests in the new national executive.
The focus of the meetings which were still on-going at press time, we gathered, was to ensure that a new executive is enthroned with as little rancour as possible. With security being tightened in all the major hotels in the capital city fully booked, it was no surprise that Abuja suburbs normally strange to the trappings of political entrepreneurs were yesterday having a new feel of entitlement to the political capital of the country with some of the hotels in the fringes raising their rates in anticipation of the influx.
Ebri withdraws
Oshiomhole’s triumph came after his only challenger for the office of national chairman, Mr. Clement Ebri stepped down from the contest. Ebri, a former governor of Cross River State forwarded a letter withdrawing from the contest to the National Convention Committee earlier, yesterday. He subsequently made his decision public in a press statement issued late yesterday.
He said: “I believe that those who occupy formal positions in the APC are the helmsmen of the Nigerian ship of state. What happens in the leadership of this country’s ruling party, the APC is directly responsible for whether we can deliver on our promises to our people to provide them with a new lease of life. This was the core conviction that drove me to declare my candidacy for this office in the first place,” he said.
Ebri had some days ago told Vanguard that he was offering a non-combative leadership that would help steer the party towards drawing out the best from its men and women in government for the betterment of the society. Besides Ebri, there were also pressures, last night, to make many of the aspirants to step down ahead of tomorrow’s national convention.
It’s about conflict and resolution
Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Chairman of the media sub-committee of the National Convention Planning Committee, following an inspection of the convention ground at Eagles Square, yesterday gave an indication of the prospects of some candidates dropping out of the race after the meetings.
“Politics is about conflict and resolution, today we are meeting the aspirants to interview them, there will be a give and take so that it will be a smooth operation on Saturday,” he said. However, at the end of one of the meetings between the Convention Planning Committee, and the aspirants at about 5.30 p.m. yesterday, there were no indications that any of the estimated 164 candidates screened to contest had dropped out.
Governor Ajimobi was nevertheless, optimistic of a rancor-free convention, irrespective of the outcome of whether more candidates dropped out or not. “We are very happy about all the preparations, everything is in place, you can see what we call a very professional arrangement for tomorrow,” he said.
Also speaking, former Governor of Zamfara, Sen. Ahmad Sani, who is the Chairman of the Convention Sub-committee for Accreditation, said the committee had commenced the screening and accreditation of delegates from the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory. He assured that delegates would be properly scrutinised before entering the convention venue.
“We are going to put numbering and security code so that as soon as you come to the gate you are properly identified, screened and then you enter. “Even as they vote inside, you have another card that you present so you can be allowed to vote” he said.
