Primaries Aftermath: Amosun’s Aides Plan Defection to APM

Barring last minute hitches, there were strong indications last weekend that close aides of Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, whose names were omitted in the recently released Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) list, might have perfected plans to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) and pitched tent with Allied Peoples' Movement (APM) in order to actualise their individual political ambitions.

Investigations revealed that seven aides of the governor had concluded plans to defect to the new political platform (APM) in order to beat the December 2 INEC's deadline for substitution of candidates by political parties.

Special Adviser on Education to the governor, Bayo Adeyemi,  is being sponsored to run against the APC candidate, Hon Kayode Oladele, for Yewa North/Imeko-Afon federal constituency; Chairman of the Ogun State Local Government Service Commission, Rotimi Rahman, is to run against the APC candidate, Hon Jimoh Ojugbele, in the Ado-Odo/Ota federal constituency election; the current lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode federal constituency, Hon Mukaila Kazeem, is the APM candidate who is to slug it out with the APC candidate, Hon Olumide Osoba, son of former Governor Olusegun Osoba, and the state Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kola Lawal, is the APM candidate for Yewa South/Ipokia federal constituency squaring it up with the APC candidate, Biyi Otegbeye.

Others are consultant on energy to the governor, Otunba Bolanle Gbeleyi, who is the APM Ogun West senatorial district candidate against the APC candidate, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, the current Chief of Staff to the state government, while Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa, is the APM Ogun Central senatorial district candidate contesting against the sitting governor (Amosun) who is the APC candidate, and, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Leke Adewolu, the APM candidate in the Ewekoro/Ifo federal constituency contesting against the APC candidate, Ibrahim Isiaka.

However, it was also learnt that the Amosun's preferred governorship candidate, Hon Adekunle Akinlade, would before the week runs out, make his formal declaration known, particularly on which platform he intends to achieve his gubernatorial ambition.

The defection of the lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode federal constituency, Hon Mukaila Kazeeem, was announced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on the floor of the House last Wednesday.

Shortly after the defection was announced, a source close to Kazeem was quoted as saying: "We were treated badly by the APC in Ogun State after the process was hijacked by Dapo Abiodun and his cabal. They ensured that Osoba’s son was given the ticket. So, we have decided to leave the party for them.

"We have the state Governor, Amosun’s blessing."

However, there are growing concerns over the mission of the recently inaugurated seven-man National Peace and Reconciliatory Committee (NPRC) led by Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, assigned to the state to address post-primary election disputes which sources said might be dashed following the latest defection plot.

It is feared that the NPRC panel might hit the same brick wall like the Presidential Reconciliatory Committee led by a Zonal Coordinator, Mrs. Sandra Oladele, did when it conferred in a closed-door meeting with all 26 state House of Assembly candidates who were earlier declared winners of the APC legislative primary held on October 7, where conditions were given before peace could reign within the state chapter of the party.

It was also gathered that the governor is hell-bent in frustrating the efforts of the national leadership of the party on account of the endorsement of Prince Dapo Abiodun as the governorship standard bearer.

"To a large extent, the governor is stopping at nothing to get back at the national leadership of the APC for failure to recognise his preferred governorship candidate (Akinlade), and that is why he is spoiled for a showdown with the state leadership of the party.

He is moving his close aides in droves into the new platform, just to blight the governorship ambition of his bossom friend (Abiodun).

"We have been appealing to him to shift his hard stance and display the spirit of sportsmanship being the leader of the party in the state.

"We have been prevailing on him to let him see reasons and embrace dialogue towards resolving the crisis amicably,” a party stalwart said.

However, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Wole Elegbede, could not be reached to react to the planned defection of the chieftains to the new platform, as his phone number was not available.