Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the APC, disclosed this to State House correspondents after private talks with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
His visit comes amidst disputes trailing the APC governorship primary, which was declared inconclusive by the party’s National Working Committee following the emergence of two candidates.
Last Saturday, February 17, 2024, two governorship hopefuls, Senator Monday Okpebholo and Sunday Dekeri, claimed victory at the primaries as they accused Oshiomhole of trying to impose Mr Dennis Idahosa on the party.
More so, Edo APC stakeholders who opposed Idahosa argued that he shares the exact origins, Edo South Senatorial District, as the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, rounding up his second four-year term.
They advocated a rotation of power to a different zone.
However, Oshiomhole insisted that such a turn-by-turn” democracy denies the state of qualified candidates to run for the top office. He said his talks with Tinubu saw the President expressing his commitment to a free and fair primary.
The lawmaker cited Kogi and Benue States, saying the current Kogi Governor, Usman Ododo, and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, hail from the same senatorial district. He also argued that only the Tivs have emerged as Governor in Benue since 1999.
“What is fair in a democracy is not for any man, including the President, to single-handedly impose anyone. The fairness of the process is determined by whether or not the candidate that emerges is the true choice of the electorate, of the APC members and that is where the President stands.
“When you choose to single out Edo state, you are just being unfair. Is it not the same APC where recently, in Kogi state, you have back-to-back somebody from one senatorial zone succeeding the other? Why is Edo different?
“In Benue State, since 1999, only…the Tivs have produced governor after governor since 1999. Are you about to change the rules? In any case, who are you and I to dictate to Edo APC members where their candidate must come from?” he argued.
He insisted that the Edo people could not be made to vote based on the “consensus turn-by-turn democracy” of an elite few.
Oshiomhole also denounced the power rotation system, saying it undermines fairness and merit.
“What I’ve committed to is that in a democracy, the majority must necessarily have their way…This turn-buy-turn democracy kills fairness…and let me ask you, in all fairness, is democracy imposing a smaller number on a bigger number? Look at the demographics.
“I don’t like to talk about ethnicity because, for me, that is not it. And I don’t care what people say…I am used to losers trying to find somebody to blame. They come to you at night to solicit your endorsement. Don’t I have a voting right?
“I have the authority of Mr President. I asked him, ‘Can I announce what I discussed, whether or not tomorrow’s run-up election is based on zoning?’ and he said, ‘No, no zoning. It is merit and fairness.’ The President is a Democrat and he has given me assurances that make me happy that only APC members will determine who their flagbearer will be,” he noted.
