Ahead of the April governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, aspirants have commenced intense lobbying to emerge as the candidate of the party.
NewMailNG reliably gathered that the permutation of who would be supported by President Bola Tinubu keeps changing.
The major contenders in the APC, who include Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Olusola Oke, Isaac Kekemeke, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Wale Akinterinwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Gbenga Edema, Dr. Paul Akintelure and Jimi Odumayo, are said to be lobbying cabals in the Presidency and President Tinubu’s close friends.
A reliable source also hinted that overtures have been made by the aspirants to the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the president’s daughter, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo; national leader of the pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and the Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee of the APC.
While Jimoh Ibrahim is said to be leveraging his relationship with President Tinubu, Governor Aiyedatiwa is banking on the support he enjoyed from Ganduje during the planned impeachment.
But sources told our correspondent that Ganduje told the governor that he was “awaiting signals” from the president.
Ganduje was said to have informed Aiyedatiwa that the final decision on who the party would support lies with the president.
The source said: “The party is also considering a neutral candidate, someone who was not involved in the state’s recent political crisis before the death of the late governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.”
NewMailNG gathered that a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mayowa Akinfolarin, has the backing of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Gbajabiamila, Akinfolarin, and Tunji-Ojo were all members of the Ninth Assembly in the House of Representatives.
Also, the Akeredolu family, led by his widow, Betty, is supporting the former Finance Commissioner of the state, Wale Akinterinwa.
Findings showed that the chances for Governor Aiyedatiwa are still slim following the said violation of the 2023 Abuja Peace Accord between the APC stakeholders in the state and the President.
Also, his romance with the former governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, is a concern to the powers that be in Abuja.
Tinubu to meet Ondo APC stakeholders
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the president has scheduled a political meeting with the state stakeholders in the first week of April before the primary election.
The meeting, as it was gathered, will involve the party leaders, including the governor, National and State Assemblies members, and other groups within the state.
Vanguard learned that topmost on the agenda would be the party’s flag bearer in the November governorship election.
Tinubu hasn’t endorsed anybody—Edema
Speaking with NewMailNG on the party’s governorship primary election, one of the aspirants, Olugbenga Edema, cautioned other aspirants to stop dropping the names of President Tinubu and the cabals in the Presidency.
Edema said: “The leadership of the party at the state and national levels, including the president, has not endorsed any of the aspirants.
“Mr. President has not endorsed anybody. If he wants to select any one of us, he will call us to a meeting, like he did when Ondo State was in crisis over the deputy governor and acting governor. The president would call the leadership of the party and hear them out.”
