AKURE—THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, yesterday, deepened as aides to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu are said to be sharply divided over the governor’s alleged plan to use state machinery to back some National Assembly candidates contesting on the platform of the Action Alliance, AA, in the February elections.


Vanguard gathered that the governor’s plot to dump the APC candidates was to protest their alleged imposition by the Adams Oshiohmole led National Working Committee of the party. Recall that automatic tickets were given to the three serving Senators while other House of Representatives candidates were imposed. Vanguard also gathered that the governor’s plot had polarised, not only the party, but also his cabinet members. The aides, who include commissioners, Special Advisers, heads of boards and parastaltals, are said not to be on the same page with the governor.

Akeredolu refutes claim But in a swift reaction, the information and Orientation Commissioner, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi debunked the allegations saying “the governor has demonstrated his commitment to the re- election of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo by donating 18 buses for the campaigns.” Olowolabi said: “Some people were insinuating the support of the governor for AA because of his friendship with Dr Tunji Abayomi.. “If there are some members of APC pushing for AA’s arrangement, the governor is not part of them. The governor has said it repeatedly that he is a member of APC. “At a meeting we held, a leader was trying to bring up the issue of AA and the governor shouted him down saying he is a member of APC and not AA. “Some people are just trying to use the governor’s name to push their personal agenda. Akeredolu is not part of any arrangement that will support the candidates of other political parties.” SWC aligns with Oke Meanwhile, the State Working Committee of the party, led by the chairman Ade Adetimehin, has aligned with the newly appointed Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the party’s Presidential Campaign, Chief Olusola Oke to deliver the party’s candidates across board instead of engaging in anti- party activities. Sources within the SWC of the party hinted that “some serving cabinet members have vowed to stick to the candidates raised by the APC, others have reportedly aligned with the candidates of AA allegedly bankrolled by the governor.” Recall that some aggrieved party NASS aspirants in the state, loyal to the governor, have defected to the AA and subsequently given tickets after they were denied the tickets by APC. APC members, who defected to AA include, Dr Tunji Abayomi (Ondo North Senatorial District), Dr Julius Olatunji Felder (Ondo South), Hon Stephen Olemjja (Akoko North East/West) as well as Hon Victor Ategbole (Akoko South West/East.) A cabinet member, who confided in newsmen, described the development as disturbing. The source said: “This is a very disturbing situation because it presents all of us as if we don’t know where we are going. Presently, the entire cabinet is in disarray because of the AA arrangement that the governor is trying to impose on us.” PTA back Akeredolu over plan to seal mushroom schools in Ondo The source alleged that the Finance commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa; his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Alhaji Ismaila Olurimisi; chairman of the State Water Sanitation Board, Yetunde Adeyanju; the State NDDC representative, Lucky Ayedatiwa; budget and planning commissioner, Dr Emmanuel Igbasan; the Deputy state Chairman of APC, Hon Agaba Atili; chairman of the State Oil Producing Communities Areas Development Commission, Mr Gbenga Edema and commissioner for environment, Funso Esan are all for candidates of the APC and incumbent, Senator Yele Omogunwa and not for Dr Felder in AA for the Southern senatorial district.