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Tag: Adekunle Akinlade

  • Ogun: Tribunal directs INEC to grant Akinlade, APM access to election materials

    THE Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade and his party, access to the documents used for conduct of March 9 governorship election.

    Justice Chinwe Onyeabor-led three-man panel gave the order at its inaugural sitting, following a motion ex parte brought before it by Akinlade and APM.

    The governorship candidate and APM are challenging the victory of Prince Dapo Abiodun and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), designated as second and third respondents in the petition.

    In arguing the application, counsel for the petitioners, Mamman Osuman, SAN, who appeared with Ahmed Raji, SAN, told the tribunal that the order being sought was necessary to allow the applicants access to the electoral documents used during the election “with a view to maintaining the petition already filed before the tribunal”.

    Osuman argued further that the application was filed pursuant to Section 151, sub-section 1 and 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    Read also: Ogun gets new Police Commissioner

    Among other prayers sought were: “An order directing the 1st Respondent to forthwith grant access to the Petitioners/Applicants and their solicitors, agents, experts and other staff to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for and obtain certified copies of all documents used by the 1st Respondent for the conduct of the Ogun State Governorship Election held on March 9, 2019, for the purpose of instituting and maintaining Election Petition; the said documents being the ones contained in the schedule attached to the Supporting Affidavit to this application;

    “An order allowing/permitting the petitioners/applicants (for the purpose of instituting and maintaining an election petition) to inspect, scan, photocopy, pay for and obtain certified copies of the electoral documents contained in the schedule attached to the application, same being the documents that are in the custody of and were used by the 1st Respondent in the conduct of the governorship election that took place in Ogun State on March 9, 2019.

    “An order directing the 1st Respondent to promptly abide by the orders of this court, made in the terms of the Ex parte application.”

  • Ogun: Tribunal directs INEC to grant Akinlade, APM access to election materials

    The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, on Monday directed  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade and the party, access to the documents used for conduct of March 9 gubernatorial election in the state.

    Justice Chinwe Onyeabor-led three man panel gave the directive at its inaugural sitting, following a motion ex parte brought before it by Akinlade and APM.

    The governorship candidate and APM are challenging the victory of Prince Dapo Abiodun and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), designated as second and third respondents in the Petition marked EPT/OG/GOV/ 01/2019.

    In arguing the application, Counsel for the Petitioners, Mamman Osuman, SAN, who appeared with Ahmed Raji, SAN, told the tribunal that the order being sought was necessary to allow the applicants access to the electoral documents used during the election “with a view to maintaining the petition already filed before the tribunal.”

    Read Also: Pastors held for ‘killing’ in-law in Ogun

    Osuman argued further that the application was filed pursuant to section 151, sub-section 1 and 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    Among other prayers sought were, “An order directing the 1st Respondent to forthwith grant access to the Petitioners/Applicants and their Solicitors, agents, experts and other staff to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for and obtain certified copies of all documents used by the 1st Respondent for the conduct of the Ogun State Governorship Election held on 9th of March, 2019, for the purpose of instituting and maintaining Election Petition; the said documents being the ones contained in the schedule attached to the Supporting Affidavit to this application;

    “An order allowing/permitting the Petitioners/Applicants (for the purpose of instituting and maintaining an Election Petition) to inspect, scan, photocopy, pay for and obtain certified copies of the electoral documents contained in the schedule attached to the Application, same being the documents that are in the custody of and were used by the 1st Respondent in the conduct of the Governorship Election that took place in Ogun State on 9th March, 2019.

    “An order directing the 1st Respondent to promptly abide by the orders of this court, made in the terms of the Ex parte application.”

    Justice Onyeabor held that the prayers were granted “strictly in compliance to section 151 sub-section 1 and 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and adjourned the case till April 9 for confirmation of service.

  • Amosun seeks reduction of registered political parties

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reduce the number of registered political parties to six.

    He said the present arrangement where we have 91 political parties is unwieldy.

    Amosun stated this while answering questions from journalists after casting his vote at Ward 6 Unit 8, Itagbangba, Itoku, Abeokuta South West.

    The governor argued that a reduction in the number of political parties will enhance quick release of results.

    “When you look at the ballot papers, imagine seeing 60 political parties and I believe with just six parties, this will reduce the efforts put into collating and announcement of results.

    “As I am going back to Senate now, I am going to canvases for political parties to be reduced to six. I really think we should do something about it,” he said.

    He added that too much political parties put too much stress on the parties, voters and INEC.

    Governor Amosun also expressed conviction that the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Adekunle Akinlade would win the governorship election in the state.

    He said the main reason he campaigned for him was because he believed in his capability to govern the state.

    Amosun was elated that turnout of the electorates have been impressive and far more than was recorded during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He thanked the people of the state for ensuring peaceful and orderly elections devoid of rancour and acrimony.

    Read Also: Buhari, Amosun meet in Aso Rock

    He said the reports from all local government areas of the state were heart -warming.

    In a related development, a former Minister for Mines and Steel, Sharafadeen Ishola also commended the people of the state for ensuring a peaceful conduct of the election.

    Ishola told journalists after voting at his unit Mokola, Abeokuta the conduct of electorates during the exercise showed that democracy has come to stay.

    He noted that the pattern of voting has also shown that the people have become wiser and can now differentiate between parties and individuals wanting to ride on party platform to victory.

    Ishola also commended INEC for the conduct of a successful election in the state.

  • Don’t vote against Amosun, Osoba begs

    Former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba has asked members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to put behind attacks on the party’s campaign rally in the state and ensure victory for all candidates of the party, including Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

    Suspected political thugs believed to have been hired by a party attacked the APC campaign rally in Abeokuta, pelting some dignitaries including President Muhammadu Buhari with stones.

    Amosun, who is APC candidate for Ogun Central, backs the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade to succeed him against APC’s Dapo Abiodun.

    Osoba, who lamented no arrest has been made over the incident till date, said he has told supporters in the state to leave vengeance to God and vote for all APC candidates.

    He said: “Yesterday, I told stakeholders in Ogun state that on no account should anybody vote against Amosun as a person.

    Read Also: Osoba lashes out at TraderMoni critics

    “A governor is a governor and he will be in office till May 29. So, why are we worrying ourselves?

    ‘Amosun is just an individual. I still respect him as my governor up to May 29 this year and will not do anything to undermine him as governor.

    “I was governor twice. I told our people that vengeance is not ours and that nobody should go for vengeance.

    “Amosun is just a person but the office of the governor deserves respect and I give respect to that office.”

    He added: “Ogun state is first in several areas. The leaders of the progressives in this country are from that state and it is the home state of the Vice President.

    “I told the President that I apologised to him and that uptill today, nobody has been arrested. I see that as a failure on the part of some elements of the security agencies.

    “Actually, the bulk of APC in Ogun state, we are one family and instruction has gone out that despite what has happened, we should vote for APC candidates at all levels and when the result is out, it should reflect that.

    “At least we should respect the Vice President, who is busy preaching welfarism for the downtrodden and I am sure that appropriate action will be taken on that issue later.

  • Ogun 2019: The men Amosun lost

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state is unrelenting in his determination to stop his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) from winning the March governorship election in the state as he continued his open support for Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). In the process, the embattled governor has been deserted by a teeming number of his political allies, associates and disciples, writes Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor.

    It is no longer news that Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, lost out in the bid to have his preferred aspirant, Adekunle Akinlade, emerge as the state’s governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congres (APC), the same party on which platform he is contesting for a seat in the national assembly as the Senator representing Ogun Central senatorial district.

    It is also no longer newsworthy to announce that Akinlade, determined to forge ahead with his gubernatorial dream, with the open support of the governor, is  now the governorship candidate of hitherto little-known Allied Progressive Movement (APM). With Akinlade in his new party are a host of other preferred candidates of Amosun’s, gunning for sensorial, House of Representatives and state assembly seats in the forthcoming elections.

    Announcing his open support for the defectors the very day Akinlade and others unveiled APC as their new port of call, Amosun told the world that in spite of his own decision to stay back in the ruling APC largely due to his love for President Muhammadu Buhari, the aggrieved chieftains of his party willing to move out and join another party in pursuit of their ambitions, have his blessing to do so.

    He said, “After the primary that was conducted, they just picked anybody that they liked for governorship. We equally have 26 state assembly candidates. Imagine, they are now telling me that I should stop them. God will punish Amosun (me) if he stops them. All our assembly members that decided to follow Akinlade, you have my support. So, when you do things that negate reasonableness and good thinking, you have to face the consequence.”

    Amosun, who said he met President Buhari and other APC leaders 28 times in Abuja over the battle for the governorship ticket between Dapo Abiodun, the party’s candidate and Akinlade, added that “I will be running around to campaign for Mr. President, but I will not stop Hon. Akinlade and all our people that want to run round with him. As a matter of fact, you have my blessing.

    Buoyed by the governor’s endorsement and support for their actions, Akinlade and other defectors have been going around the state campaigning with the name of both Senator Amosun and President Buhari. “Queerly, the keep repeating the statement made by Amosun that they are APC in spirit and only APM in body as they will return to the APC after winning the elections,” a party source told The Nation.

    But if Governor Amosun, who boasted at the beginning of the crisis that if he and his political camp is forced to abandon the APC in the state, the party will be left to prosecute the 2019 elections without any serious chieftain, and may lose the state to the opposition, was thinking he has the support of all his allies and associates in his decision to dump Abiodun for Akinlade, current developments within his political family may have proven that he got it wrong.

     

    Left on his own

    Today, barely four weeks to the general elections, and with electioneering campaigns at the peak, a good number of Amosun’s men have made it clear to him that he erred in his decision to embark on what many of them described as “unpardonable anti-party activities.” According to Chief Bayo Ogunpola, a chieftain of the party, “Mr. Governor missed the point in that decision and he is paying for it dearly as most of his trusted allies are now working against his plot.”

    The state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and one of the governor’s most trusted allies before now, Muyiwa Oladipo, while declaring his support for the governorship ambition of Abiodun at the weekend, after weeks of speculations over where he stands in the melee, said he said he remains loyal to the party’s principles ”which is superior to any personal interest.”

    Explaining that the clarification became necessary as it was being rumoured that he had defected to APM, the Sagamu-born former Speaker of the House of Assembly said “there is no consequences for my action, especially for not supporting the governor’s adopted candidate, because am not in any way into anti-party activities. So if I am sacked for being a loyal APC member, then I think I will be justified.”

    Another prominent ally of Amosun’s who is now poised for a showdown against him over his support for Akinlade is his immediate past Chief of Staff, Tolu Odebiyi. Apart from remaining in the APC againts the governor’s directive, and contesting as the party’s senatorial candidate in Ogun West, Odebiyi is telling whoever cares to listen that he is all out to work for the success of Abiodun’s ambition.

    “When Governor Amosun mooted the idea of moving to APM to me, I said  I would think over it and get back to him. When I consulted my people in  Ogun West over it and they were all aversed to the idea. When I reported back to the Governor on the decision of my people, it was not well received by him. But I told him  I had to be mindful of my late father’s legacy. My father was a true democrat and a progressive.

    “As a result, the APC tenets take after the past progressive parties, like Action Group, Unity Party of Nigeria, the Alliance for Democracy and the Action Congress. So, they are like family parties. Turning my back on the APC would amount to turning my back on my people in Ogun West. My loyalty to the party and my commitment to ensuring President Buhari is re-elected remains my steadfast and show of loyalty to the party. I don’t like switching political parties, because, I respect party’s supremacy,” he said.

    For Comrade Afolabi Afuape, another of Governor Amosun’s close aides, who resigned as Commissioner for Youth and Sports few weeks back, there was no way he will defy the party to please the Governor. The youthful politician, who is now the APC candidate for the House of Assembly in Abeokuta South, is said to be one of those who tried to convince Amosun to drop the idea of backing another party to defeat the APC in the state.

    “As a close aide to the governor, the former Commissioner, along with some other Amosun loyalists in the APC, tried to convince him not to embark on the anti-party activities he is doing with APM today. But all efforts to make him see reasons failed. That informs why Afuwape and other erstwhile aides, allies and associates of the governor are working against Akinlade,” a source told The Nation.

    Another notable loss for Amosun is the decisison of Hon. Iziaq Abiodun Akinlade, who was a former APC gubernatorial aspirant, to remain in the party and join he Dapo Abiodun campaign organization as its Deputy Director General. The former member of House of Represebtives member who represented Yewa-south/Ipokia federal constituency, had last year joined Amosun’s political family in search of the APC guber ticket.

    Similarly, former commissioner for Forestry in Amosun’s first term, Ayo Olubori and a governorship aspirant, Simeon Hunyen, are among other Amosun loyalists who have joined the Abiodun group following the governor’s support for APM’s Akinlade. Olubori, until his resignation from current administration few weeks ago, served as a Senior Consultant in the government. He is now the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the APC in the state.

    Another trusted hand the governor lost to the Abiodun camp is Barrister Yinka Odufuwa who served as the Special Adviser to Amosun until last October when he left the government. Odufuwa, while boasting that the Amosun-backed APM, and its candidate, Akinlade are no match for the APC in the state, said Abiodun’s pedigree and political antecedents will give him victory at the polls.

    The departure of Princess Olapeju Shote, a loyalist of the governor who served as a Senior Special Assistant in the Governor’s Office until recently, according to inside sources, came to many within Amosun’s inner caucus as a shock. “Shote is one of those who worked closely with the governor. She was very committed to the interest of the group. But she proved to all that the party is more important to her when she joined the Abiodun train,” a source said.

    A number of other known loyalists of the governor have also pitched their tents with the Osoba camp to work for Abiodun. They included the Senator representing Ogun West, Gbolahan Dada; the APC candidate for Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Biyi Otegbeye; the immediate past Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, who also contested the governorship ticket with Dapo Abiodun at the APC primary election, and Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, among others.

     

    More to go?

    And if feelers from some quarters across the state is anything to go by, then the Ogun governor may still suffer further loss of his aides and allies before the general elections. According to very reliable party sources, not a few chieftains and members of the ruling APC currently working for the ambition of Akinlade, in obeisance to Amosun, are weary and tired of being accused of anti-party activities.

    The Nation gathered that a group within the party in Ogun Central senatorial district, has been holding meetings with party members with a view to calling on Senator Amosun to choose between the APC and the APM for then to follow. According to Chief Ogunpola, the group made up of known Amosun mobilisers in the zone, are tired of campaign for the APC during senatorial campaigns and singing the praises of APM at governorship campaign rallies.

    “I can authoritatively tell you that barring last minute hitches or changes, a large number of the governor’s supporters in his native Abeokuta and other zones of Ogun Central, will join the Dapo Abiodun camp. Already, they are grumbling about having to campaign for the APC during senatorial campaigns in the district and working for the APM at governorship campaign rallies across the state.

    “I heard they want to go public soon by addressing a press conference that will call on Amosun to tell them which of the two parties they should stick to. This is the reality of what is happening within the governor’s camp. People are confused and unhappy. Aside that, some other political leaders in Ogun East, seeing how their people are warming up to the APC candidate, are reaching out to us about their readiness to join the train,” he said.

    The Nation also gathered that some elected council chairmen and ward councilors across the state recently met with the Director General of Abiodun campaign, Prince Segun Adesegun in Abeokuta, to discuss modalities on how they can join the APC governorship campaign train. The elected council officials, who had stayed away from Abiodun’s campaign for fear of incurring the wrath of the governor, appear to be ready to damn the consequence of identifying publicly with the APC governorship candidate.

    “Many people are tired. And as the election draws nearer and people get more assured that APC will win the race, you will begin to see more people becoming bold enough to openly dare Amosun by joining the Abiodun campaign train. Many of those following APM today are doing so under duress. They fear what the governor can do. Some fear they will lose their positions. But that will soon become a thing of the past,” our source said.

    But the APM House of Representatives candidate for Remo Federal Constituency, Honourable Yinka Mafe, is certain that the new party will win next year’s poll across the State. Describing the party as child of circumstance determined to correct the injustice meted to its chieftains by the leadership of the APC, the lawmaker who currently represents Sagamu Constituency II at Ogun State House of Assembly, said APC is in for a shock at the polls.

    The Majority Leader of the Ogun state House of Assembly spoke during the inauguration of the campaign committee of the party for Remo Federal Constituency as well as the presentation of flags to the candidates of the party at a rally held at Gateway International Stadium, Sagamu recently. “Though victory is of God, I am confident that our party will record a landslide victory in Ogun State next year because this struggle is about continued progress and prosperity of our people,” he said.

  • 2019: I have a 50-year vision for Ogun – Akinlade

    The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), in Ogun, Adekunle Akinlade, says he has a 50- year vision for the south-western state.

    Akinlade, who said that his team was the “most capable and fortified” to take over from Gov. Ibikunle Amosun in 2019, declared that the state would be the pride of Africa within 15 years, if he is voted into power.

    He spoke in Abeokuta on Thursday when he paid a courtesy call on the Egba Traditional Council at the Ake Palace.

    Akinlade said that he had the experience to transform Ogun, having performed excellently as Special Assistant on Revenue Mobilisation,.

    “When I served as Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue Mobilisation, I was able to raise the Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N700 million to an average of between N6 billion and  N7 billion per month,” he said.

    He said that Amosun’s legacies must be sustained, promising that projects started by Amosun would be completed and put to use.

    “The developmental strides in the state are less than 10 per cent of what was contained in Amosun’s blueprint; part of the blueprint is the rail project that will cut across major areas in Ogun.

    “When I met Amosun, I met a man of vision who knew what he wanted for the state. But the initial challenge we faced was finance. I was part of the history which increased our revenue to what it is today before I left for a federal assignment in Abuja.”

    While seeking the blessing of the traditional rulers, Akinlade said that the result of the election would not be determined in Abuja.

    “The results of the election will be determined by the good people of the state; no one can impose anyone on them,” he said.

    Earlier, the Director-General of the Akinlade Campaign Organisation, Sarafa Tunji Isola, had faulted the allegation that Akinlade was imposed on the people of the state by Amosun.

    “The party leadership assessed his character, capacity and capability before endorsing the candidature of Akinlade,” he said. (NAN)

     

  • Fresh worries in Amosun’s camp

    Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is fighting the political battle of his life just as the cracks on the walls of his political family continue to widen unabated ahead of the forthcoming general elections in the state, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan.

    The political camp of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State is now in disarray with many of his associates pulling in different directions in the aftermath of their decision to ditch the All Progressives Congress (APC). Members of the group had initially agreed to move en masse into a single party on leaving the APC after losing out in the contest for the party’s governorship ticket.

    But in the last few days since the first group left to pitch tent with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), other members have opted for either the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) or the Labour Party (LP) while Amosun and some key members of his group are staying back in the APC. The governor’s decision to remain in the APC has not gone down well with some of his supporters who fear they may have been thrown under the bus by their leaders.

    One of those who switched to the APM is Amosun’s favoured governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade. The strategy of the Amosun group is that by moving en masse into a single party, they would be able to wield their influence and actualise Akinlade’s governorship aspiration there. But many of them no longer believe they can make the desired impact the way they are now scattered in at least four parties.

    Apart from Akinlade, other prominent members of the Amosun group who were denied APC tickets on account of alleged imposition by Amosun include the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Suraj Adekunbi, who lost out the ticket of the Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal and the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Leke Adewolu, who lost the Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency ticket to Ibrahim Isiaka.

    Others are the incumbent lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency, Hon. Mikhail Kazzim, who lost out to Hon. Olumide Osoba, son of former governor of the state and chieftain of the APC, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, as well as current Majority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Yinka Mafe.

    Following Akinlade into APM were 26 Amosun-favoured members of the House of Assembly. Also on the move is the chairman, the state local government service commission, Rotimi Rahman; the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adedayo Adeneye; and the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Modupe Mujota, among others.

    A reliable source in the political family told The Nation that contrary to the governor’s expectation, some of his allies chose not to go with Akinlade to the APM for various reasons. The source said:”The plan is to move into one party and continue the struggle to install Akinlade as the next governor of the state. It took us time to agree on APM. Before then, we have considered a couple of other options like the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), the Labour Party (LP), among others.

    “But at the end of the day, the leadership of the group settled for the APM and instructed that we all move into the party. Sadly, some of our prominent members decided to stay put in the APC, while some others moved over to the DPP and the LP. We even have some who announced their resignation from politics outright. All these are making it difficult for us to mobilise the whole house for the governorship election ahead of us.”

    The Commissioner for Sports, Afolabi Afuwape, Amosun’s Senior Special Assistant on Environment, Dewunmi Onanuga, and Hon. Lanre Edun, another highly placed ally of the governor, have stayed put in the APC as its candidates for the House of Representatives election while there are indications that Hon. Kazeem may have opted to contest on the platform of the LP instead of joining the APM.

    Continuing, the source said:”We are aware of their decisions and when asked, they all gave various reasons for choosing to stay out of the movement to APM. But as politicians, the question we are asking them is: how they will work for Akinlade’s victory while running on the platforms of other parties? “We really don’t see how this will play out easily and everybody is worried over that.”

    It was also gathered that the senatorial contest in Ogun west is another issue currently tearing the governor’s camp apart. While Amosun’s Chief of Staff, Tolu Odebiyi, is running as the candidate of the APC, another of the governor’s close aides, Bolanle Gbeleyi, who was a consultant to the governor, is the senatorial candidate of the APM in the same election.

    “It is not true that the governor is using any of the two politicians to tackle the other. They are both loyalists of the governor and there is no rift between any one of them and His Excellency as being insinuated. What happened is that one of them is merely refusing to follow the directives of our political family as agreed. But I believe it will soon be resolved.”

    The Nation also gathered that some of the governor’s allies whose names appeared on the list of DPP’s national assembly candidates a few weeks back may have resolved to still run as candidates of the party in the forthcoming elections. It was gathered that most of those planning to do this had again lost out in the race for the APM ticket contrary to their expectations.

    “We were told we would be given the ticket of any party we moved to. That was why we agreed to leave the APC in the first place. But following the move, we were left out of the list sent to INEC as candidates of the APM. Good enough, we have our names with INEC as DPP candidates. We have met and we have decided to go on with our aspirations,” one of those concerned told The Nation.

    On the DPP list as candidates for the House of Representatives are former APC chairman for Egbado South Local Government, Odebiyi Safiu Abiodun, a younger brother to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adekunbi Fatai Aremu, Alhaji Taofeek Olabode and a serving chairman of Abeokuta North Local Council Development Area.

    Others on the list are the General Manager of the State Housing Corporation, Olajumoke Akinwunmi, the current chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Wale Shittu, Odumosu Olugbenga, a Commissioner in the Civil Service Commission, Mojeed Ekelojumati, the current chairman of APC in Ifo LG, Saheed Ariori, and Lamidi Rasheed from Ado-Odo/Ota.

    More cracks

    And while the governor and his lieutenants are battling to resolve the issues forcing their loyalists into diverse political parties, more cracks are appearing on the wall of Governor Amosun’s political home as more and more of his erstwhile trusted aides and allies are pitching their tents with Abiodun, the APC gubernatorial flag-bearer he vowed never to support.

    During the week, leaders of the ruling party met at Frontier Hotel, Ilaro, Yewa South in a well publicised attempt to rally support for the Ogun APC governorship candidate, Abiodun, in the zone amidst widespread fears that the people of Yewaland may have resolved not to have anything to do with Abiodun’s aspiration following the refusal of the party to pick one of them as its candidate.

    The Ilaro meeting, held last Friday, was actually a follow up to an earlier stakeholders’ meeting held in Abeokuta on Monday. Following uncertainties over which of the APC bigwigs in Ogun West are actually with Abiodun in his quest to rule the state, it was agreed that a meeting of APC chieftains in the zone be called so that a roll call of pro-Abiodun members of the APC in Ogun West can be taken.

    “Before the Friday meeting, we were hearing all sorts of things about how many of our leaders in Ogun west have allegedly resolved to work against the candidate of the party in the next election. Many of them, being known allied and aides of Governor Amosun, were not even asked for their position on the crisis within the party before being tagged anti-party.

    “It was for this reason we resolved to have a meeting where those of us in the zone who are ready to let bygone be bygone and remain with the party would be present and all doubts would be cleared. The decision turned out a good one because many of those being labelled anti-Dapo Abiodun showed up at the meeting to the happiness of many of us. Even those some people claimed have joined the APM were at the meeting,” a source told The Nation.

    The Nation gathered that the leaders who attended the Ilaro meeting included Senator Akin Odunsi, former chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), Chief M.A Ajibola, Hon. M.A.O Obanla, former Commissioner, Hon. Samuel Aiyedogbon, Ogun APC governorship aspirant, as well as Hon. Hunye Abayomi and Hon. Tunji Akinosi.

    More surprising were the presence of Ogun West APC Senate candidate, Tolu Odebiyi, who was, until a couple of days ago, the Chief of Staff to Amosun, Yewa South/Ipokia APC House of Representative candidate, Hon. Biyi Otegbeye. Both Odebiyi and Otegbeye were key members of the governor’s political camp and have been tipped to be among those who will follow his dictates against Abiodun.

    Speaking at the meeting, Odebiyi said he told the governor that he can’t leave APC for another party while the governor stays back in APC. He also said he told the governor that he has a root in politics and he won’t want to destroy that all because of selfish interest. He made it clear that it is very absurd to go to another party and campaign for President Buhari while some stay in APC and also campaign for another party’s candidate.

    “Odebiyi’s presence at that meeting and his utterances have shown that the political family of Governor Ibikunle Amosun is no longer in harmony. It is true that many of his associates are frowning at his decision to remain in the APC while encouraging them to move out and populate the little known APM in pursuit of Akinlade’s governorship ambition.

    “As we speak, the inability of all our people to assemble in one political party as earlier agreed, and the continued recanting of people like Odebiyi, who are now openly identifying with Abiodun contrary to Governor Amosun’s dictates, are sources of fresh worries within the camp. And until and unless these worries are promptly allayed, the struggle to enthrone Akinlade as governor will suffer more setbacks,” another source added.

  • Buhari, Amosun meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Recall that the preferred candidate of Amosun, Adekunle Akinlade has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Allied People’s Movement (APM) due to controversies that trailed the governorship primary elections.

    Other loyalists of the Governor have also dumped the APC.

    Read Also: I’ll ensure Akinlade succeeds me, Amosun vows

    But Amosun has remained a member of the ruling party.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report

  • Four more Reps members resign from APC, PDP

    Four House of Representatives members on Thursday resigned their membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The lawmakers announced their resignations in separate letters to the green chamber, which were read on the floor of the house in Abuja by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

    Three members left the APC while a member dumped the PDP.

    Adekunle Akinlade, representing Egbado South/Ipokia Federal Constituency in Ogun and Muhammed Ajanah, representing Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency in Kogi defected from the APC to Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and PDP respectively.

    Read Also:2019: We will end APC’s reign in Lagos — PDP

    Mr Salish Koko, representing Maiyama/Koko-Besse Federal Constituency in Kebbi, dumped the APC and headed for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Rabiu Kaugama who represents Mallam Madori/Kaugama Federal Constituency of Jigawa left the PDP for the SDP.

    In the letters, the lawmakers made references to irreconcilable issues relating to the party primaries as part of the reasons for the resignation and defection.

    The legislators said after due consultations with their constituents, it was time for them to part ways with the APC and PDP.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a gale of defection has continued to hit the lower chamber as aftermath of the party primaries.

    Many aggrieved members could not get their parties’ tickets for the 2019 elections.

  • 2019: Can Ogun APC mend its fences?

    The anxiety thrown up by the ongoing struggle for the governorship ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, ahead of the next gubernatorial election, is far from abating as party chieftains and members from the western and eastern senatorial districts continue to queue behind Adekunle Akinlade and Prince Dapo Abiodun, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, analysts are worried that unless the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State finds a way to resolve the current intra party crisis ripping it apart, the party and its candidates may find it difficult to make good showing at the various elections across the state. Sources within and outside the APC says the current confusion over who the rightful governorship candidate of the party should be is fast tearing Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s party into shreds under his watch.

    Buoyed by Amosun’s unrelenting support for Ogun West Senatorial District in the governorship race, political leaders in the zone, especially within the ruling APC, according to reliable party sources, are determined to do everything humanly possible to ensure that no other person, apart from Hon. Adekunle Abdulkadir Akinlade, their son, who got the endorsement of the governor to fly the APC ticket, emerged as the party’s candidate.

    On the other side of the same state, prominent political leaders, within and outside the ruling party, have lined up behind the aspiration of Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Remo royal blood who got declared as the APC governorship candidate by the National Working Committee after two controversial primary elections in the state. Party stalwarts from Ijebu and Remo zones of the state say they will not agree to any resolution that removes Abiodun’s name from the list of APC governorship candidates.

    Trouble started for the ruling party when the NWC and the state leadership disagreed over the conduct and outcome of the direct primary election carried out to elect the gubernatorial candidate of the APC. While the APC State Executive Committee announced Akinlade as winner, the NWC Electoral Committee said Abiodun emerged winner in the exercise they supervised.

    Expectedly, as the two bodies continued to argue over Akinlade and Abiodun’s fate, Governor Amosun, who never hid his preference for Akinlade as part of his commitment to his pledge to ensure that the Ogun West Senatorial District produces the next governor of the state, has thrown his weight behind the Ogun APC leadership, in insisting that Akinlade be given the ticket to contest the next election.

    Speaking while supervising the rescheduled party primary elections for Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly aspirants at the weekend, the governor decried the tension and uncertainty across the state caused by the disagreement over the governorship ticket. He however assured party members and supporters that Akinlade will be handed the APC ticket at the end of the day.

    “They have told Mr. President all manner of stories, that Amosun has done this or that. Amosun will stand for justice, fairness and the truth. That is why in Ogun State come May 29, 2019, to the glory of God and the benevolence of Almighty God, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade will be the governor of the state. I have told them, if anybody wants to engage in political fight, they should wait for second term. Nobody should push us. We are not fools,” the governor said.

    But within the camp of Abiodun and among political leaders in Ogun East, the governor’s position cannot be said to be generally acceptable. While some of his close aides and associates, like the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Yinka Mafe, are ready to go all the way with Amosun, some others are now pandering towards the candidacy of Dapo Abiodun in solidarity with the ‘Ogun East for Governor’ agenda.

    Former state secretary of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) and currently a topnotch of the APC in the state, Alhaji Ganiu Olomowewe, while explaining why Amosun should stop his opposition to Abiodun’s candidacy, warned that any alteration in the status quo may spell doom for the APC in the eastern senatorial district during the 2019 general election.

    “The governor should stop carrying on as if Dapo Abiodun is not a member of APC. He cannot continue to say an Ogun East man is not good enough to succeed him and still expect us to support him. We must all learn to accept what we cannot change. Party members have decided at the primary election that it is Abiodun they want. The governor must respect that decision. Any change in the name of the candidate will not be acceptable to us in Ijebu and Remo zones,” he insisted.

    Peace moves

    All hopes of the crisis being resolved are however not lost as The Nation learnt that several efforts are being made by stakeholders to see to the amicable resolution of all the issues at hand. “It is a family matter and I can assure you that our governor is a man of peace who will stop at nothing to ensure that all parties to the misunderstanding are satisfied and adequately catered for in the final resolution,” a close aide of Amosun’s told our reporter.

    The Nation also learnt that several meetings and parleys have been called to discuss the development within and outside the state. While reliable party sources insisted that the issue is yet to be resolved in spite of the publication of Dapo Abiodun’s name by the NWC as the candidate of the APC in Ogun State, some other sources said a middle-way agreement may have been reached ‘at the top’ to lay the matter to rest.

    On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari met behind closed doors with Amosun. The meeting which is believed to be part of efforts geared towards resolving that crisis in Ogun APC was held inside the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. It was gathered that Buhari offered to intervene in the matter when it appeared the parties involved were unyielding to previous peace moves by other stakeholders.

    The governor simply told journalists at the end of the meeting that he would be returning with some unnamed persons for another meeting with the President. He was not specific on when the meeting would hold. It was also learnt that Buhari will be meeting with some other people involved in the face-off with a view to facilitating a peaceful resolution of the issue.

    The Nation also learnt that party leaders, including Vice President Yemi Osibajo, have been talking to rival groups in the Ogun State  APC that are disagreeing over the outcome of the national and state assemblies primaries held in the state. “All through this week, meetings were being held here in Abeokuta and even Abuja in search of peace. And we are optimistic of peace at the end of the day,” a party leader said.

    “Last week, the governor met with Vice-President Osinbajo and sources say the development in Ogun State was discussed by the two leaders as they searched for resolutions. Neither Osinbajo nor the governor spoke with State House correspondents who approached them for comments after the meeting, but we are informed that they proffered ways of possibly resolving the logjam,” another party source hinted.

    Also, it was gathered that the state leadership of the party recently convened a meeting of party leaders in Abeokuta to discuss the matter. Sources at the meeting told The Nation that many of the stakeholders at the meeting were concerned about how best the matter can be resolved in such a way that the final outcome will not disturb the winning streak of the APC in the state.

    “We met and discussed. We are all bothered about the turn of things and we are in agreement with Governor Amosun on this matter. We are hoping that the NWC will see reason why they should allow the leadership of the APC in Ogun State to guide them in this matter as it was done in other states. However, we are also very concerned about how the issue is resolved that the party remains one indivisible family ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    “While it is true we seek justice and fairness, we also seek unity and progress of the party. We will not be happy if the outcome of this crisis damages the chances of the APC in Ogun State. That is why we are saying all those beating of drums of war should act like genuine party members and sheath their swords. At the end of the day, we must all rally round the party irrespective of who the candidate is.

    “So, for some people or group of people to be issuing statements that they will not support any other candidate except the one they want now is not good for the party and it must stop. If our leaders examine the facts and decide to change the status quo, we as party faithful must be ready to accept the verdict in the interest of our great party. No sacrifice is too much to make for the party,” he added.

    Agitations continue

    Meanwhile, the Ijebu/Remo Forum, a group within the Ogun State chapter of APC, has urged Amosun and other stakeholders, particularly from Yewa-Awori extraction in the state, to accept Abiodun’s candidacy in the interest of peace and progress.  In a statement issued after their meeting in Sagamu on Tuesday, members of the forum saluted President Buhari, Osinbajo and Oshiomhole, for their efforts towards resolving the dispute in Ogun State APC.

    The statement partly reads, “We appeal to everyone to be sportsmen and to be gallant in the present situation. Our experience has taught us that everyone will have his day. We say to our compatriots from Ogun West, in particular, that despite the intensity of this contest, the Ijebu and Remo people are no enemies of the Yewa and Awori people. Ijebu and Remo people are a people with a deep sense of history, justice and fairness.

    “We seek it for ourselves and seek it for other people. Indeed, from the history of Ogun State to date, we know we are friends and allies. We have, mutually, supported each other before and we believe God that we will do so again in future. On this occasion, we appeal for your restraint and gallantry. Please be assured that the government to be led by Prince Dapo Abiodun will serve your interest and that of all of Ogun State without any discrimination.”

    The statement, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, was endorsed by its chairman, Aare Olu Dawodu, its secretary, Prince Segun Aderibigbe, Chief Bisi Rodipe, Chief O. B. Okuboyejo, Alhaji Rafiu Songonuga, Prince Adeyemi Adefulu, Bashorun Adebisi Adesanya and Dr. Rasheed Adenusi, among other prominent political and community leaders from across the eastern senatorial district of the state.