BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN—THERE is tension in All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, following fears that the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, may dump the party for Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with the emergence of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as the National Chairman of the party.

Vanguard learnt that the state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole and some leaders of the party in the state went to beg Chief Ikimi at his Abuja residence, weekend, when it became clear that the party hierarchy had settled for Oyegun.

Chief Ikimi, who spoke to Vanguard on telephone, said: “I was not at the convention venue. I bought the chairmanship form, but I did not fill it when I found out what they wanted to do. I still have the form with me. I never stepped down for anybody. I did not participate in the exercise, I boycotted it.

“But I will come up with a statement soon, where I will explain what transpired,” he said.
Vanguard was informed that Chief IKimi had been under intense pressure to go back to his former party the PDP for some time.

The fear amongst members of the APC in Edo State is that he may capitalise on the recent development to join the PDP, even though it was learnt that the new National Chairman of the party, Chief Oyegun, the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is one of his bosom friends, are making frantic efforts to ensure that he remains in the party.

It was learnt that Ikimi is particularly pained that all his efforts towards the formation of the APC were not appreciated by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other South-West leaders of the party, who opposed his national chairmanship ambition.

However, Oyegun’s emergence will be the first time, the Binis from Edo South senatorial district of Edo State will produce the national chairman of a political party.