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.
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