The Ogun State Governor and the All Progressives Congress’ candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District, Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday said he would work against the governorship candidate of the APC, Dapo Abiodun, in the 2019 governorship poll.
Amosun said this while addressing a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC which was attended by his preferred governorship candidate and the candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, at the Presidential Villa in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
As Amosun was addressing his supporters, a former state governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, at another venue described those against Abiodun’s candidacy as “disappointed” party members.
Amosun, however, said he would remain in the APC to contest the senatorial seat and ensure the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He insisted that he was in support of the action of the APC aggrieved members who dumped the ruling party for the APM.
Amosun’s statement came as 26 aggrieved candidates of the APC loyal to him announced their movement to the APM.
Amosun, who said he had attempted to stop the defection of Akinlade and other aggrieved candidates to another party, said God would not forgive him if he had stopped them from protecting the tickets given to them during the APC primaries.
The governor disclosed that some people, whose name he did not mention, had been begging him to ensure the unity of the party in the state.
He said his only condition to them was to return the name of Akinlade as the governorship candidate of the APC before any discussion could take place.
“When these people came, they told me they were leaving the APC, I said ‘no’ but I couldn’t stop them. In fact, Akinlade has my full support. I am not going to stop him. Everything I have, I will use to support him, let them try whatever they want to try, we also have our strategies and I am not going to hide behind one finger.
“I remain in the APC because that’s what those people want. They want us to leave the APC but they are joking. I will stay in the APC to ensure that (President Muhammadu) Buhari wins in Ogun State and to let them know that they can’t subvert the will of the people of Ogun State.
“Every day, I will campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari, we will do everything possible to ensure Buhari wins massively in Ogun State, but they should not miss it. I , Senator Ibikunle Amosun, will not support anyone (Dapo Abiodun) they are bringing.
“Why would a reasonable person with less than 10 per cent lord it over the majority? It can’t happen. They know there was only one primary and they have called me to say that, and we have done everything possible to right the wrong, but they are already destroying the party.
“God will punish me if I stop Akinlade. All of you who are supporting Akinlade, you have my support and blessing. They are talking about party supremacy, what happens to party supremacy at the local level?”
However, Osoba promised that the APC would zone all political offices, if its governorship candidate, Abiodun, won the governorship election in 2019.
Osoba said this on Monday at the formal unveiling of the APC governorship running mate, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, held at his Abeokuta residence, saying that the next APC administration in the state would place more premium on zoning all political offices in order to give members a sense of belonging.
According to him, it was the zoning arrangement of all political offices that made him disagree with Amosun.
He said he would not support a situation where a particular zone would benefit from the appointments to the disadvantage of the other two districts.
However, Osoba implored all the chieftains and members of the party to work in harmony.
He stated, “Whether they like it or not Dapo Abiodun has become the Ogun State APC governorship candidate. Those who don’t wish the APC well have been disappointed. The task has begun. We are in the midst of enemies and we should come together as one.
“I want to urge all, that we have just started. I am 80 years old and I am old enough to say things the way they are. We don’t want any group within the APC. It is an insult.
“We are just going into an election period and we should stop insulting our candidate.
“From now onward, let us be one. Leaders, don’t hold group meetings, but what you should be having is the APC meeting as a party and it should be for the governorship candidature of Dapo Abiodun.
“Three-quarter of your poster should bear the APC logo, a quarter for a candidate’s picture and another quarter for the party’s slogan.
“So, as we are moving today, disunity is over. We are fighting a vicious war and we should fight it within the purview of the APC constitution. Go and deliver your polling booths.”
Prominent leaders in attendance included the governorship standard bearer, Abiodun, the running mate, Salako-Oyedele, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Gbenga Obadara, Akin Odunsi, Dipo Odujinrin, Tunji Egbetokun, and Prince Segun Adesegun.