The year 2022 is the eve of the 2023 general election therefore stakeholders in All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo State Chapter are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all aspirants vying for various positions on the party’s platform are given a level playing field during the party’s primary elections without any form of favoritism or endorsement of anyone by the party executives including the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The stakeholders are further concerned that Party Primaries into all elective positions are conducted in a most transparent, peaceful, fairest and credible manner and ultimately to ensure that aspirants with electoral values subsequently emerge as candidates in tandem with the wishes of the delegates which is the beauty of internal democracy that the ruling APC always stands for.
It is however ridiculous, shameful and reprehensible to realise that some politicians in Ondo State who believe they have the war chest are now increasing their desperation in their quest for various elective positions especially at the State and Federal levels. They are already in deft moves to position themselves for electoral contest through the back door which they never merited.
For instance in Ondo North the aspirants vying for the Senatorial Seat are, Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade (retired commandant of the Nigerian War College), Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, former DG National Sports Commission and former member Federal House of Representatives, as well as Alex Ajipe, a vibrant young man with integrity. These are men of class whose track records have brought honour to the nation not just Ondo State. Unfortunately, Governor Akeredolu has unilaterally endorsed one Jide Ipinsagba, against the principle of fairness, justice and internal democracy.
It is on record that Ipinsagba was Senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2019 general elections who did everything against the interest of APC. Besides it was reported on the social media that Ipinsagba gave the wife of the Governor, Betty Akeredolu N20 million for her pet project and the official launch of the Forum of Wives of Ondo State Officials (FOWOSO); information also have it that Chief Jimoh Ibrahim also contributed N10 million to that course. Ipinsagba who is seen as a greenhorn in politics and a political neophyte was said to be Babajide Akeredolu’s (Governor’s son) business partner. Others also claimed that Ipinsagba supported Governor Akeredolu with N140 million during his reelection bid in 2020.
Affected also in this ugly episode of imposition is the Vice-Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on National Security, Hon Ade Adeogun who is representing Akoko South-East/South-West in the lower chambers, he is also said to have been blocked from recontesting in the State.
Without sounding immodest, it appears APC is now determined to encourage inconsistency and disloyalty with this purported and embarrassing endorsement coming from the Governor. What type of lessons will anyone learn from this act? Why is Governor Akeredolu trying to sacrifice the ambition of other consistent, faithful and committed members of the party on the altar of pleasing someone whose political background is well known to be very unstable? This pill is too bitter to be swallowed by many of the serious aspirants who have shown loyalty and strong commitments in the party over the years.
Similarly in Ondo South, Mr Governor also directed the leadership of APC in Ondo South Senatorial District to work for a billionaire businessman, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 Senatorial election in the district.
The decision of the Governor equally did not go down well with a majority of party leaders who were said to be rooting for another businessman, Mathew Oyerinmade from Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government of the state. Some aspirants were also nominated as candidates for the House of Assembly election, House of Representatives across the State. This is pure dictatorship and must be condemned in strongest term. Nigeria is practicing constitutional democracy and this must be deepened in principle in the country’s body politic.
Contrary to what some sycophants or bootlickers may say, no one is plotting hatred against the Governor or anyone else but this is a sincere concern in the interest of the party (APC) so that it won’t sink, people are really aggrieved. Mr. Governor should allow a free and fair primaries in the State and that is the honourable thing to do. Moreover the Governor needs to wash himself clean in this sensitive matter and further exonerate himself as the party leader in the state of complicity in the alleged imposition saga.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar defeated President Muhammadu Buhari in the last 2019 presidential election in Ondo state. It was as a result of the impunity and high handedness of the Governor and his party chairman. Same scenario is loading except the party headquarters in Abuja act fast.
It is really regrettable to note that, the place of merit and the will of the people which is the bane of our socio-democratic system in Nigeria has now been negotiated and undermined by various factors, sentiments, god-fatherism, zoning and all sort of political arrangements, these nefarious factors and actions have greatly marred the shape of the country’s socio-political set-up especially in Ondo State. Men of integrity must rise to the occasion in Ondo State and change the narrative and of course the time is now. The National Leadership must also play its just and morally inclined role by calling Mr Governor to order for the good of our party.
-Ayodele, a member of APC, writes from Ondo State