APC convention: I won’t be a dictator —Oshiomhole

FORMER Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has assured that he will not resort to dictatorial tendencies and arm-twisting if elected as the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming convention which comes up in Abuja on June 23.

Oshiomhole who spoke in Benin on Friday denied being a dictator as being painted in some quarters.

The ex-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said: “Some of the things I learnt in the labour union is negotiations and never dictatorial because even though I was the President of the NLC, I cannot even control my deputy because he has voted the same manner I was elected. In the NLC you must listen to everybody unlike in government whereas an executive you can dictate decisions.”

He said that his background as a unionist prepared him for the task as APC chairman and will to listen, noting that is why at every forum, he kept reminding that contestation, disputes are not dysfunctional if one has the skills to manage divergences.

He denied: “I have never exercised dictatorial powers, I have always exercised persuasive powers, negotiating skills and those are my skills. And when I negotiate with you and persuade and you accept you will feel obliged to do what you have to do.
But if I dictate to you, when I am not watching, you will do your heart. So I am not capable of being a dictator by the very nature of my background.”

Buoyed by the overwhelming support of the majority of APC governors, Oshiomhole said that they are behind his aspiration because they understand his personality.

He predicted that he will emerge through a consensus leadership and that his loyalty will be to the party and no more, promising to exercise his persuasive powers and negotiating skills in resolving the crisis in the party and save it from implosion.

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Oshiomhole disclosed that some prominent leaders of the party are backed his aspirations because of the belief that he will improve its fortunes.

He said: “If I have prominent people from the North, prominent people from the South, East and West it means I will at the centre. No one will say if not for my support you would not have been there. If you are a product of one section then you might remain detained by that section if you feel that to return that office you must service that section because it is your support base. But when you have the privilege of a broad support, from many leaders then no one leader will say I put you where you must listen to me.

“But let me also say is that what is also qualitatively different about this support is that there is no question about what is influencing this support because conventionally in our political environment, we hear that those who have the deepest pocket tends to buy the support. But this support is being offered from people who cannot be procured which tells you it is flowing from the knowledge of my person.”

He added that he has been fortunate to work with all the governors, including past governors either when he was in office or as President of the NLC.

According to him, they offered their support based on their understanding of his person and not through inducement