Dep. Senate Presidency: Tension In APC As Oshiomhole ‘Plots’ To Favour Own Constituency

An alleged plot by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to zone the position of Deputy Senate President to his constituency in Edo state is said to be raising tension in the ruling party.

Oshiomhole, who had faced series of allegations of interference in the governorship primary election of the APC in some states, is now being accused of plotting to favour a senator from his Edo North senatorial district for the Senate slot.

Premium Times quotes sources in the APC as stating that the APC Chairman is working to make Francis Alimikhena from his constituency the next deputy senate president, a move said to be causing tempers to rise in the party.

“We saw a report in newspaper which earmarked positions to regions,” the newspaper quoted a top official in the APC secretariat who pleaded anonymity as saying. “When we got to office, we asked around and the conclusion was that since it didn’t come officially, it is only a rumour. But since Friday last week, the news has been flying around.

“Before now, it was Omo-Agege but this time around, the new thing is that Oshiomole wants to favour Alimikhena. All these things have caused a lot of reactions from people that no…Even if that would be done, it should be on consensus,” said the source.

On how the alleged move is being perceived within the party, the newspaper quoted a top aide to a senator as saying, “Now, there is tension in the party, because of the rumour that the chairman wants to zone the office of the Deputy Senate President to his state. He wants the senator representing him to be the next DSP.

“If you’ve been following developments, Alimikhena is supposed to be serving the interest of the party because he’s deputy whip but he just got lost for four years.

“It’s not even zoning, he wants to impose. It’s going to cause crisis within the APC caucus in the Senate. They are not going to accept him,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Comrade Oshiomhole is said to have denied the plot.

“Who said so?” asked his media aide, Simon Egbebulem.

“Nothing has been done. Nobody has said this is the person for that position. But the party is working on how to share the position so that every part of the country will have a sense of belonging,” said Egbebulem.

“They have started the process and the party is backing Gbajabiamila and Ahmed Lawan for the position of speaker and Senate president but other position, the party is still working to sort out these positions.

“But it is believed that the position may be zoned to the South-south but nobody has been pinpointed,” said the APC Chairman’s aide.