The sacked National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has completely denied plotting to return to the exalted position,
Oshiomhole spoke on Monday, while addressing State House Correspondents, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, in Abuja.
The former Edo State Governor was reacting to a recent allegation by the Director-General, DG, of the Progressives Congress Forum, PGF, Salihu Lukman, that he is scheming to return as the National Chairman of the ruling party.
Oshiomhole wondered why anyone would imagine that he would like to ‘resit’ a class he had passed, saying that, only ‘an empty brain’ would suggest that he is plotting a comeback.
He however, alleged that the PGF DG is being used by some elements within the party, whom he described as “cowards”, to attack him.
He stated that Lukman is allegedly foisted on the PGF as DG, by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi.
He, however, said that he would not engage in brickbats with Lukman, noting that, doing so would lower his standards as a gentleman.
His words: “You want me to engage in a fight with a pig? If you engage in a fight with a pig, the pig already is stained by its nature, and you will wear your white garment, and in my own case, khaki, to go and wrestle with a pig? I will not.
“When I was removed as National Chairman, Edo was APC… So, do I have to win Edo to become the Chairman? Do I look so unemployed? I am 68.
“So, what they do not understand, is that it is not the Office of Chairman that made me who I am.
“So, it takes an empty brain to suggest that Oshiomhole wants to stage a comeback to become the National Chairman. For what? To go and do a resit?
“So, my attitude is not to reply the noise, and it is coming from somebody who says he is an employee and appointee of Progressives Governors Forum.
“He is just like the cowards that are using him, that are not able to come out. Otherwise, you should ask this guy, who is now an election expert.
“He contested for Senate against Makarfi, he lost. He even contested against Governor El-Rufai during the primaries and he lost, before Fayemi unilaterally appointed him the DG.
“So, if he is now the Spokesman abusing me and all of that, you want to drag me to his level? No!
“A gentleman does not wrestle with a pig, if you do, you will always be stained, and I do not want to get into that.”
On why he was at the Aso Rock Villa, Oshiomhole said that he visited President Buhari to express appreciation for his leadership, and reassure him of his absolute loyalty as a party member.
He also said that he used the opportunity to brief the President on APC activities in Edo State, saying that: “From my evaluation shared with him, I am very confident that we will win the election hands down, because Edo is basically an APC State.
“Some of the things that have made our campaign easier, is the fact that we have established a tradition in Edo State, that do not believe any Politician, until you have seen the action, particularly, if that Politician is already in Office.”
