The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, is the new leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South South zone.
He was elected yesterday, November 28, 2019, at the meeting of the South South APC, to evaluate recent happenings in the party, especially in the South South zone.The meeting was at the instance of the national vice chairman, South South, Ntufam Hillard Eta at the private office of the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in Abuja.
A committee was also set up to look into the crisis rocking the Edo and Cross Rivers states chapters of the party, while a vote of confidence was passed on the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
In his remark, Omo Agege expressed concern over orchestrated plot to remove Oshiomhole as national chairman and appealed for support for the former Edo State governor whom he described as “our own that must not be antagonized.”
He said: “This meeting holds lot of significance considering the crisis that has bedeviled the zone. It has been bitter sweet. The attempt of late to remove the national chairman, the position that is very key given to the South South. Why are we antagonising our own? We have to stand by him. The party in the zone hasn’t fared very well. It is important to close ranks against the raging war.”
On his part, the National Vice Chairman, stated that the meeting was to appraise the performance of the party in the last general elections and the recent feat recorded with its victory in Bayelsa State, which he noted was an addition to states under its control in the zone admonished warring chieftains in the zone to close ranks.
He further admonished them to avoid media war on issues that affect the party.
His words: “The last time we had the meeting was before the presidential election. Let us mention what has happened since our last election, the emergence of Omo Agege as Deputy Senate President which was contested between the South East and South South. Also notable is the election of our candidate in Bayelsa state , David Lyon, who won the election, making us to have two states out of six in the region.
“In certain states in the South South, the results from the general election was not too encouraging. In Cross River State, the party wasn’t even allowed to present a candidate. Also the party lost the Akwa Ibom State election in a funny way. I want to say that if the South South disagrees at home, we should explore way and means to reconcile. The media should be a last resort. In Edo and Rivers states, we must find a solution to the problem. I want to beg all warring parties to sheathe their swords,” he noted.
Oshiomhole, however, expressed delight over what he called impressive turn out despite the cynicism that trailed the open invitation to all members of the South South caucus.
He acknowledged the raging crisis in his home state of Edo but reiterated that he was determined to make concession for genuine reconciliation.
“We are grateful for coming this far, we won Kogi, we won Bayelsa. Edo election is next year, about some months away. You see, there is bound to be internal wrangling and issues. We must make extra efforts so that wherever there is disagreement, there must be reconciliation.
“There were so many cases in court after the election but we haven’t had any upturn by the courts from our governors. Regardless of what some persons have said, here we are with a large turnout of members of the caucus.”
Africa Update gathered that the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside were among prominent personalities who boycotted the meeting.
