John Odigie Oyegun Explained

John Odigie Oyegun
Width:150px
Office1:Governor of Edo State
Term Start1:January 1992
Predecessor1:John Ewerekumoh Yeri
Term End2:24 June 2018
Birth Date:12 August 1939
Birth Place:Warri, Delta State, Nigeria
Party:All Progressives Congress
Nationality:Nigerian
Termend:July 2018
Office:National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC
Termstart:July 2013
Succeeded:Adams Oshiomhole
Preceded:Bisi Akande
Succeeded1:Mohammed Abul-Salam Onuka
Termend1:1993

John Odigie Oyegun (born 12 August 1939) is a Nigerian politician who served as the first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria. He was the executive governor of Edo State between 1992 and 1993, during the aborted Nigerian Third Republic.[1]

Oyegun led then-opposition APC and Muhammad Buhari to victory in 2015 after defeating ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan. It was the first time an incumbent president and a ruling party was defeated in a presidential poll in Nigeria.[2] [3] [4]

Background

John Odigie Oyegun was born on 12 August 1939, in Warri, Delta State to an Edo father and Urhobo mother from Agbarha Ughelli. He attended St. Patrick's College, Asaba, and then went to the University of Ibadan where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Economics. He then served in various capacities as a federal civil servant working as a development planner.[1]

Political career

Oyegun was elected as civilian governor of Edo State on the SDP platform, during the transition to democracy launched by General Ibrahim Babangida and served from January 1992 to November 1993.[5] He was removed from office after General Sani Abacha seized power. He became one of the leaders of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) which was formed in 1998. In 2009, he was chairman of the Technical Working Committee of CODER.[6]

On 13 June 2014, he was elected as the pioneer national chairman of the APC. The choice of Oyegun, from the mostly Christian south of the country, was calculated to win both Christian and Moslem votes in the challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP).[7]

In 2017, he came under intense criticism from various factions of the party including some powerful group of APC Governors for his handling of the party calling for his removal from office as national chairman of the party.[8] [9] [10] President Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of the party and seven of its governors backed Odigie-Oyegun to remain in office.[11] [12] President Buhari later withdrew his support for Odigie-Oyegun when it became clear that most of the governors and other powerful members of the party were resolute in their efforts to remove Odigie-Oyegun from office and install a successor Adams Oshiomhole who is from the same state as Odigie-Oyegun.[13] [14] [15] Odigie-Oyegun stepped down from office of the National Chairman of the party by not seeking re-election for a second term in office at the 2018 elective national convention of the party, leaving Adams Oshiomhole as the sole candidate for the position.[16] Since leaving office, Oyegun has maintained a low public profile.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lessons life has taught me — John Odigie-Oyegun, ex-Edo State governor . Joke Kujenya . 2009-06-27 . The Nation . 2009-12-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100519134201/http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/8140/1/Lessons-life-has-taught-me-John-Odigie-Oyegun-ex-Edo-State-governor/Page1.html . 2010-05-19.
  2. Web site: Buhari defeats Nigeria's Jonathan in historic election. 2015-03-31. France 24. en. 2020-02-28.
  3. News: Nossiter. Adam. In Nigeria’s Election, Muhammadu Buhari Defeats Goodluck Jonathan. 2015-03-31. The New York Times. 2020-02-28. en-US. 0362-4331.
  4. News: Nigeria. Patrick McGroarty in Lagos, Nigeria, and Heidi Vogt in Yola. Muhammadu Buhari Defeats Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria Election. 2015-04-01. Wall Street Journal. 2020-02-28. en-US. 0099-9660.
  5. Web site: 2019-06-09 . John Odigie-Oyegun: An old warhorse drawn into new battle . 2022-03-10 . The Sun Nigeria . en-US.
  6. Web site: Sixteen Years After - Where Are Babangida's Civilian Governors?. This Day. Ademola Adeyemo . 10 November 2009 . 2009-12-28.
  7. Web site: Nigerian opposition picks party chief ahead of election. 14 June 2014. SABC. South African Broadcasting Corporation. 2014-06-15. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165352/http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/0e4a7a00445e48ccb744bf83e4a2b8b3/Nigerian-opposition-picks-party-chief-ahead-of-election. 14 July 2014.
  8. Web site: 17 governors plot removal of Odigie-Oyegun as APC chairman -. 2017-10-20. The Eagle Online. en-US. 2020-03-06.
  9. Web site: Oshiomhole speaks on ‘plots’ to remove Oyegun as APC chairman. Godwin. Ameh Comrade. 2017-11-02. Daily Post Nigeria. en-US. 2020-03-06.
  10. Web site: Protesters at APC secretariat demand chairman Odigie-Oyegun's removal - Premium Times Nigeria. Ugbede. Lois. 2017-10-30. en-GB. 2020-03-06.
  11. Web site: Oyegun: Edo APC backs Buhari's decision. Nwachukwu. John Owen. 2018-03-28. Daily Post Nigeria. en-US. 2020-03-06.
  12. Web site: Rumble in Nigeria's ruling party, APC as Buhari backs Oyegun's tenure elongation. 2018-03-29. www.pulse.ng. en-US. 2020-03-06.
  13. Web site: Buhari Dumps Oyegun, Solicits Governors' Support for Oshiomhole as APC Chairman. admin. 2018-04-25. THISDAYLIVE. en-US. 2020-03-06.
  14. Web site: 24 APC govs back Buhari to end Oyegun, others' tenure. 2018-04-05. Vanguard News. en-US. 2020-03-10.
  15. Web site: Oyegun: Govs back Buhari, APC to meet on fresh congresses. Punch Newspapers. en-US. 2020-03-10.
  16. Web site: Oyegun bitter over removal as Chairman, Shuaibu a mole - APC. Jannah. Chijioke. 2019-06-20. Daily Post Nigeria. en-US. 2020-03-10.