Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
The All Progressives Congress, APC, appears to be in disarray in Ondo State, as the ongoing post-primary election crisis has further divided the party ahead of next year’s election.
Remember that many state and National Assembly members lost their return tickets, leaving them bitter.
While some were defeated due to alleged underperformance, others were defeated due to local politics in various constituencies.
Following their failure to secure return tickets, many of them are said to have decided to campaign for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, rather than the winners.
Findings from the state’s three senatorial districts revealed animosity between NASS members who did not receive return tickets and those who did.
Track News has learned that the party’s aspirant in the last primary, Admiral Alade, has launched a campaign outfit that focuses solely on Tinubu while ignoring the party’s senatorial candidate, Jide Ipinsagba.
Furthermore, Ade Adeogun, the aspirant who lost the House of Representatives seat in Akoko South West/South East federal constituency, is campaigning solely for Tinubu while ignoring the party’s candidate, Mr Gboyega Adefarati, the son of the late former governor of the state, Adebayo Adefarati.
According to reports, the party’s House of Representatives candidate in the Owo/Ose federal constituency, Abiola Oshodi, is now coordinating a team for Tinubu’s election but is keeping quiet about the party’s candidate, Timehin Adelegbe, during meetings with party supporters and leaders.
Mrs Wunmi Edet, a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and a staunch Tinubu supporter in Ondo Central Senatorial District, does not campaign for the party’s candidate in Akure South/ Akure North federal constituency, Derin Adesida.
Tayo Alasoadura, the former Minister of State for the Niger Delta, lost the primary to Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Alasoadura is one of Tinubu’s canvassers, but he does not support the party’s Senate and House of Representatives candidates, Adegbonmire and Adesida.
Ambassador Sola Iji, the secretary of the PCC’s Labour subcommittee, openly canvasses for Tinubu in the Southern senatorial district but remains silent on Senate and Reps candidates in his Ilaje Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.
Track News has also learned that the party’s southern senatorial aspirant, Mathew Oyerinmade, has launched a Tinubu-only campaign, excluding the business mogul who won the party primary, Jimoh Ibrahim.
According to sources, lji and Oyerinmade’s supporters are unapologetic about opposing the party’s candidates in the South. They have insisted that Tinubu is their sole project.
“Iji is from Apoi and is teaming up with former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, who is also from Apoi and is the PDP senatorial candidate,” the source said.
Track News has also learned that Mayowa Akinfolarin, the lawmaker representing Odigbo, Oke-Igbo, and Ile-Oluji Constituencies, has not openly endorsed or supported the party’s candidate after losing the primary election to Jimoh Ibrahim.
According to a party leader, “the result of this development is that APC Reps’ work will be undermined because both Senate and Reps are unlikely to be in the same local government.”
Only Idowu Mafimisebi of Ilaje and Segun Ayerin of Okitipupa have collapsed their structures and agreed to work for the party’s candidates in next year’s election, out of everyone who lost in the NASS primary.
However, the party’s state chairman, Ade Adetimehin, has urged disgruntled aspirants to put the party ahead of personal interests.
