A support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Ondo APC Mandate Group (OAMG), has kicked against the re-election bid of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The group also warned the national leadership of the party against ceding the ticket to him.
The Mandate Group alleged that the APC lost the 2019 presidential election in the state because the governor worked against the interests of the party.
Addressing journalists Friday at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Convener of the group, Olugbenga Bojuwomi, advised the party to just forget about winning the state if Akeredolu picks the ticket, threatening to work against the APC.
“We do not expect the national leadership of the party to allow Akeredolu to contest even the primary. If we were in a sane society and the party was working normally, we would not expect Akeredeolu to still be in the party.
“If the party eventually features Akeredolu as the sole candidate after the July primaries, we the APC members in Ondo, we are going to do our anti-party activities by campaigning against the APC during the election. APC should just forget Ondo state if the party rewards Akeredolu’s disloyalty because what it means is that disloyalty pays.
“It is wrong to think that the state Assembly members purchasing form for him speak volumes of his support.
“We all know how legislators work in this country. The situation is the same in the state. They are always the governors’ stooges. Anywhere he is going, they go. They are rubber-stamp legislators.
“Whatever comes from them is not funny because they are just performing their bid.”
The group alleged that Governor Akeredolu and Ade Adetimehin were captured in a video during the campaigns for their anointed party, Action Alliance (AA), at the detriment of APC, adding that the clips had been sent to the national headquarters and presidency long before now but no action was taken.
Bojuwomi said that AA fielded candidates during the 2019 election, which led to the defeat of APC in Ondo state.
The group also alleged that “The pocket of violence which was sponsored by governor Akeredolu where his thugs macheted loyal APC members which occurred before the General Elections in Owo his home town has just resurfaced last week.
“One of the campaign vehicles belonging to one of the foremost gubernatorial aspirants, Chief Olaide Adelami was destroyed with bullets and machete”.
Responding to the allegations of anti-party activities, Deputy Speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly, Adeboboye Samuel, who led a group to purchase the nomination form for the governor said Akeredolu had no power to stop those who contested against APC in Ondo state during the last general elections.
He said: “I am glad you claimed that the allegation came from a group of people. There is no factionalization within the APC in Ondo State, but if you are talking about pressure groups you cannot divorce from politics. They are the people who will always want to terrorise the governor.
“Talking about anti-party, the governor never visited any ground to campaign for anybody.
He has no right to stop those that contested under the platform of AA”.
