I Will Not Trade Words With Tinubu Because I Respect Him – Says Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said monday that he would not be drawn into a war of words with one of the National Leaders of the party, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the allegations levelled against him by the latter on the Ondo State governorship primary until after the governorship election in Edo State.

Tinubu on Sunday took a swipe at Oyegun over the outcome of the Ondo State governorship primary of the APC, declaring that the chairman must step down for rejecting the report of the Appeal Panel set up by the party to review the outcome of the primary in the state and instead submitted the name of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the governorship candidate of the party to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Oyegun who spoke in Benin City, the Edo State capital, said: “Asiwaju is a well respected leader of the APC and as such, I cannot be heard speaking evil against him,” adding that he had to consult properly with other leaders of the party before making any definite statement because “you know we have a crucial election here in Edo which is my priority right now”.

According to Oyegun, “I don’t want to lose focus and I know Asiwaju also wants us to win because we all worked hard for this. So may be after the election if there is need, I will speak if there is no need, I will relax.

“But all I can say now is that most of the things said in the papers about me are not true. I have always believed in internal democracy, that the credibility of primary must be taken seriously.”

He added: “I believe that if the primaries of parties are not credible, it may derail any democracy, so I don’t play with these things at all. Everybody knows me and I don’t joke with my credibility and I have tried to maintain it.

“Like I said, Asiwaju is our leader and we all hold him in high esteem, so I will never join issues with him.

“But may be after the Edo elections, after we must have emerged victorious, we may speak on some of the issues raised. So there is no problem at all.