THE immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, used the occasion of his 70th birthday, to lay to rest speculations about his next political move as he declared his intention to run for the Edo North senatorial district seat in the 2023 general election.
By the declaration, the two-term governor of the state will be contending with his erstwhile protégé, Senator Francis Alimekhina, who is also seeking a third term in the Senate.
Oshiomhole said he chose to celebrate his birthday with his people, that is, party leaders and others at his Iyamoh, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, because he was conscious of his origin.
Oshiomhole said: “It is true that for quite some time, many of our people have asked me to contest for the Senate and I replied that first, APC has crisis, let us fix the crisis; let there be convention because you cannot begin to discuss what kind of baby you are going to have when you are not married.
“I said until APC is fixed, one cannot talk of contesting election using the platform. Having been chairman of the party, I know the danger we face if we are not able to fix the party. This was completed and consummated on the 25th of March and we have now elected a brand new National Working Committee (NWC) and a brand new National Executive Council (NEC) under the able leadership of a former governor, a former minister and a current senator Adamu Abdullahi.
“We have done what we needed to do and I am inspired by the position of the new leadership for us to do what we need to do to retain power in 2023. I am therefore convinced that this is the time to proceed to the next step of the conversation which is about who leads the great people of Edo North in the Senate by 2023.
“These times that people have been asking me, I have also been examining myself because I do not want to go to the Senate and sit down, listen to motions and collect salary at the end of the month.
“I do not believe that I need to go to the senate to take a sabbatical because that is an important institution where men and women are elected by their people to contribute to affairs that affect their people, how funds are allocated and to ensure that the people of Nigeria have value for their resources and money.
“We lay more emphasis on the rotation of people but I am more concerned about even development. I have made it clear before as president of the NLC that democracy means that the leaders must listen to the people and if he deviates from that, the people have the right to interrogate the leader. If I did that as ordinary Nigerian, I believe that as a senator, your interest cannot be ignored in the red chamber in Abuja.
“By my antecedent, I am a believer that this country has come to stay and our business is not to lament the imperfections but dedicate ourselves to the challenge of fixing the nation so that we can create a nation where every citizen will have a basis to be proud that he is a Nigerian. With your mandate, if I get to the Senate I will do that.
“Our leaders from the six local government areas have gathered here today to say I should contest and I believe that with your support, we will get there.”
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