By David Fidelis
Ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State, the Unity forum of the All Progressives Congress in the state has been hit by serious confusion and can best be described as what the Yoruba people call 'Isu ata yan yan' which could be jocularly transcribed as 'Yam pepper scatterer scatterer'.
Seemingly, things seems to have fallen apart as the group crisis depeend after the adoption of Chief Olusola Oke (SAN) as the consensus candidate of the Ondo State APC Unity Forum for the July, 2020 Primary election of the State APC to contend with the incumbent governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
The Unity Forum led by Alhaji Ali Olanusi has vowed to unseat Governor Akeredolu but members of the Forum seems divided, uncoordinated and confused with selfish interests.
Inside source revealed that the leadership of the group has been frantically trying to resolve issues but it is yet to achieve any breakthrough as some members who also have interest in the governorship race have remained adamant, resolute and stoic.
Alhaji Olanusi, a former Deputy Governor in the state said Oke was picked following a report submitted by the Gubernatorial Candidate Selection Committee, noting that the Unity Forum, “by the content of the report has adopted Chief Olusola Oke, SAN as the candidate of the Forum. All the leaders and members of the Unity Forum are hereby enjoined to begin mobilisation across the state for the candidate of the forum.”
According to the former Deputy Governor, "to avoid further delay considering INEC position with regards to date of the primaries and after I have consulted widely with leaders and members of the Special Purpose Committee the Report of the 7-man Panel recommending Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, as the adopted candidate of the Ondo State APC Unity Forum for the July, 2020 Primary election of the State APC".
Those that however kicked against the emergence of Oke were Secretary of the forum, Dapo Adelegan, Professor Sola Ehindero, Deputy Senate Leader, Robert Ajayi Borofice among others as they have individually rejected the purported adoption of Oke.
Leading the pack of aspirants that are embittered is Senator Borofice, who is the patron of the Unity Forum, as the always-on-white-man rejected the emergence of Chief Oke and urged all aspirants to prepare for the primaries.
According to the statement issued by Borofice media aide, Kayode Fakuyi, “The media report suggesting that Unity Forum has adopted a consensus candidate to represent the Forum in Ondo APC governorship primary election is misleading. The fact is that Unity Forum has no consensus candidate. This fact is premised on two fundamental reasons.
However, the Unity Mandate Group accused Senator Borofice of playing politics of divide and rule to frustrate successes of the Unity Forum.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Babatope Abisola said they were aware Senator Borofice was working to undermine the process of picking the consensus candidate before now.
According to the Comrade Abisola, “All along, Senator Borofice has been working underground to cause crisis in order for him to emerge as a neutral candidate to run. We are aware of his moves with the current deputy governor, to undermine us for them to run as candidates.
“They met with Mamman Daura I Abuja and ever since, they have been creating problems for us through unsuspecting persons in the Unity Forum. We stand by the mandate given to Chief Olusola Oke.”
Professor Ehindero on his part described the announcement of Oke as fake news. His words, “The attention of the duly elected secretary of the Screening Committee of the Unity Forum set up to select a consensus candidate for the APC in the next governorship elections has been drawn to a fake report from an unauthorised person”.
As if that was not enough headache for the group, the Ondo APC Unity Group Elders Forum led by High Chief S. A. Idris says it has sacks Ali Olanusi and disband his committee for his high handedness and manipulative tendencies.
The leaders forum accused Alhaji Ali Olanusi of deliberately manipulating the selection of the members of the Seven (7) Man Aspirant Screening Committee to propagate his personal agenda, which is to pave way for PDP total takeover of South West Nigeria before 2023 presidential election.
According to them, the Four out of the seven man committee who adopted Olusola Oke were earlier alleged of bribery and corruption during the process of their assignment by some aspirants and leaders of Unity group.
Be as it may, Political pundits say peradventure Chief Olusola Oke slug it out with Oluwarotimi in the party's forthcoming primary election, he might not win. They argued that the power of incumbency has always been a night mare for any arch rival, explaining that as an incumbent governor, he would have enough resources to fund his re-election because it is widely believed that any aspirant who wishes to succeed in any contest, must have the wherewithal, party structure as well as proven integrity.
Other political pundits opined Direct primary if finally approved, will favour Chief Olusola Oke, ultimately seeing him victorious, noting that he would be the best candidate for APC. They believe that even if Governor Akeredolu gets the party's ticket, the people of Ondo State may not vote for him owing to his under-performance, nepotistic nature, inability to carry party members along, his stubbornness and his inability to excuse infrastructure development across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state. They believe these might work against him, so it's better to give Chief Olusola Oke the opportunity in order to capitalize on the weakness of Akeredolu.
Weather Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Chief Olusola Oke, or any other candidate, time and delegates will determine who gets the field day.
Fidelis David is a Journalist, he wrote from Akure, the Ondo State capital
Post a Comment