As the countdown to the governorship election in Ondo State fast approaches, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes on happenings in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after the frenetic efforts by the national leadership of the party to appease aggrieved governorship aspirants and others.
BEFORE penultimate Sunday, many leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had said there was more work to be done ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State. While most discussions were in hushed tones, the party chieftains worked behind the scene to knot all loose ends in the interest of the party. The critical stakeholders held a South-West Assembly in September, convened by the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and expressed the significance of the Ondo election and the need for a proactive action by the party leadership for the task ahead. The gathering was attended by Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, who represented President Bola Tinubu; first national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, as well as party elders and leaders of thought, including members of the National Assembly and hordes of other APC stalwarts.
Therefore, the assemblage prepared ground for the meeting convened by the current national leadership of the APC in the capital of Ondo State, Akure, about two weeks ago to cement all crevices with the approach of the November 16 poll in the state. The importance of the gathering was underscored by the presence of virtually all from aggrieved party chieftains that had obviously maintained a lukewarm attitude towards the campaign efforts of the party for the election. According to some of the leaders, the meeting was necessary because of the implications for the 2027 general election vis-a-vis the South-West region.
The convergence of the APC leaders chieftains, led by the national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was also to find a lasting solution to the lingering internal crisis within the ruling party in the state. The frosty relationship between two tendencies in the party followed the outcome of the April APC governorship primary.
Troubleshooting and the gladiators
But it eventually served a dual purpose, as the leaders used the occasion to work out what the chieftains described as a winning strategy as the party’s standard-bearer, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, prepared to slug it out with a handle of opposition candidates on the field. The other contenders for APC ticket at the primary included former Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa; Olusola Oke (SAN); ex-member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; former national vice chairman (South-West), Isaac Kekemeke and a former commissioner who represented the state on the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Gbenga Edema. The list also comprised Gen. Olamide Ohunyeye (retd); a current member of the House of Representatives, Jimi Odimayo; Olusoji Adewale Ehinlanwo; Morayo Lebi; Diran Iyantan; Prof. Francis Faduyile and Ifeoluwa Oyedele, and two female aspirants among them are Funmilayo Adekojo, and Mrs Funke Omogoroye Judith. The hoopla triggered by the outcome of the primary led to litigation, with some of the aggrieved aspirants turning def areas to the peace overtures of APC national leadership and concerned party elders. The ding dong subsisted until what sources in the APC described as concerted moves by main stakeholders in the party culminated into the broad-based reconciliatory meeting convened in Akure. For the leaders, there was no time to play the ostrich; they chose to speak bluntly and frankly on the pervasive schism within the rank and file of the party months after the decisive party primary that threw up Governor Aiyedatiwa as APC candidate for the coming election.
Breaking the barrier
For instance, in his capacity as the coordinator of APC in South-West, Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu, said the gathering of the APC chieftains to discuss the misgivings within was not only apt and necessary but that it could not have come at a better time. He said it was time for the aggrieved members to sheathe the sword and work with other party faithful for the victory of the APC and Aiyedatiwa at the poll. He said: “What we have to do is to let you know that the entire APC leadership is solidly behind you and you could have gone through turbulent time or have differences in opinions and ideas and after all these, it is important for us to come together as a family again.” He opines that there was a lot gain for the state in remaining under the control of the APC. He noted: “We have acknowledged yesterday Ondo state, we are acknowledging today’s Ondo State, and the future is bright for Ondo state. This in-house meeting is to embrace all of us, is to beg all of us and for all for us to agree to put whatever we have behind us. What is ahead of us is greater than what is behind us and that’s forward ever, backward never.”
He is also optimistic that the future is bright for Ondo State, adding: “We can’t get any leadership support other than this. For me it is to congratulate all of us. If we come together, we will win. We are going out for an election; we need everyone in this election, that is why I brought everyone together, to come and appeal to you. More than 85 percent of the votes we must get.”
Also, Ganduje thinks the party has succeeded in reuniting the aggrieved party chieftains. Therefore, the national chairman is confident of the party winning after it has succeeded in putting its house in order. He appreciated all the aggrieved parties for toeing the line of peace and showing their readiness to team up with others to ensure that the party has a strong showing at the poll. He believes that the convergence of the South-West leaders signified an end to the process of reconciling Ondo APC. “Our target is to win the election, our mission is to give assurance that the party is solidly behind you. All stakeholders have put hands together to ensure successful election. We are so encouraged by the unity, solidarity, vigour especially when we invited all those aspirants who contested. We are to encourage, energise you, support you and to ensure that this election is a task that must be done.” Ganduje said there was no victor and no vanquished after the primary because it is the interest of the party is paramount. He told the aspirants: ”We assure you that Tinubu is the best we have and we must deliver a 100 percent in favour of APC in this election and in the South-West region. We assure you we are strategising to take over the two other states in this region,” Ganduje submitted.
The position of the national chairman is in sync with that of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, who says the November 16 is a deciding moment in the history of the state. The APC members have a duty to ensure the achievement of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is not reversed. We have a duty to keep Ondo State in the progressive circle; coming second is not an option. We must retain APC in power,” Oyebanji declared.
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Bamidele equally believes the collective integration epitomises victory for the party at the poll. He sees the aggrieved members as true heroes. “This is actually the President’s election. Make them (aggrieved aspirants) relevant, integrate them. This reconciliation continues after the election because, the PDP doesn’t have a candidate, after the election, he (Agboola Ajayi) is still coming back,” Bamidele said.
Camp of aggrieved aspirants
The situation in the camp of the aggrieved aspirants after the reconciliatory moves is instructive. They individually expressed the belief that the quick action by the national and regional leadership of the party in the internal rumbling would avert possible serious implications for the APC in the election. Erudite lawyer and politician, Chief Oke, said the family dispute has been laid to rest in the interest of the APC. “In democracy, there must always be internal contest and external contests. What we did during the primary was supposed to be an internal contest. We want to assure our leaders that we the 16 aspirants, except one, we have resolved to put all the past behind us. We have done this in the interest of our party, our state and the country. Ondo State occupies a very critical position in the transition taking place in Nigeria. A state with abundant resources, we as aspirants believe that we shouldn›t allow Ondo State to slip into opposition. Ondo State must be in the mainstream and because of this, we have agreed and we›ve been working very hard with our candidate to ensure victory for our party and want to assure you that our party will win.”
Another aspirant in the primary, Akinterinwa, has a similar disposition after the reconciliation efforts by the APC leadership. According to the former finance commissioner, “The truth is: it is in our best interest and our self-interest that APC, Ondo State must not fall into the hands of any other party except APC. No matter what must have happened in the past, the past is must be allowed to go, and let us look at the future. “The truth is that whatever has happened has happened. What will happen in the future is what should matter to all of us and what must happen in this state, come November 16, is that Lucky Aiyedatiwa comes first. We will put all our resources, and I mean all our resources, to ensure that the result of that election will be far beyond the expectations of even our leaders at the national level.
On her part, a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Princess Oladunni Odu, said she was motivated by the reconciliatory moves by the leadership of the party to put an end to the crisis in the party. Her words: “I have been bruised but I have hope and I am a committed member of the APC and I keep telling the chairman, Engr Ade Adetumehin that come November 16, I and my followers will vote APC and I am sure that we will have that result that Adetumehin predicted, 85 percent but whatever has happened, I am moving on, I’ve let go, and I am moving on.”
With those remarks coming from those aggrieved aspirants and other APC bigwigs in relation to the schism within after the peace efforts, is the path fully paved for the party and its candidate to triumph on November 16? The election is less than three weeks for the electorate to decide the fate of what is generally perceived as a two-horse race, with the PDP regarded as the main challengers to the ruling APC. The die is cast.
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