•As Tinubu’s campaigners, PCC members isolate NASS candidates
By Dayo Johnson
All does not seem well within the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State as the persisting post-primary election crisis has further divided the party ahead of next year’s election.
Recall that many of the state and National Assembly members lost their return tickets and they have been embittered.
While some lost due to their alleged non-performances, others lost due to local politics in various constituencies.
Following their failure to secure return tickets, many of them are said to have decided not to campaign for the winners but campaign for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Findings across the three senatorial districts of the state showed that there is animosity between the NASS members who didn’t get return tickets and those who won.
In the North senatorial district, Vanguard gathered that the party’s aspirant in the last primary, Admiral Alade has floated a campaign outfit that focuses only on Tinubu and ignored the party’s senatorial candidate, Jide Ipinsagba.
Also, the aspirant that lost the House of Representatives seat in Akoko South West/ South East federal constituency, Ade Adeogun, is campaigning only for Tinubu and ignoring the party’s candidate, Mr Gboyega Adefarati, the son of the late former governor of the state, Adebayo Adefarati.
Reports also had it that the party’s aspirant in the House of Representatives in Owo/ Ose federal constituency, Abiola Oshodi, now coordinates a team for Tinubu’s election but is quiet about the party’s candidate, Timehin Adelegbe during meetings with party supporters and leaders.
In Ondo Central Senatorial district, Mrs Wunmi Edet, who lost out in the primary is a member of the Presidential Campaign Council and a staunch Tinubu supporter, does not talk about the party’s candidate in Akure South/ Akure North federal constituency, Derin Adesida in her campaigns.
The same thing applies to former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Tayo Alasoadura, who lost the primary to Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Alasoadura is one of Tinubu’s canvassers but not rooting for both Adegbonmire and Adesida, the party’s candidates for the Senate and Reps.
In the Southern senatorial district, Ambassador Sola Iji, who is the secretary of the Labour subcommittee in the PCC, openly canvases for Tinubu but keeps mum on the Senate and Reps candidates in his Ilaje Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.
Also, Vanguard gathered that the party’s southern senatorial aspirant, Mathew Oyerinmade, has floated a Tinubu-specific campaign leaving out the business mogul who won the party primary, Jimoh Ibrahim.
Sources said that lji and Oyerinmade’s supporters are unapologetic about working against the party’s candidates in the South. They have insisted that their only project is Tinubu.
According to the source, “Iji is Apoi and is aligning forces with former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, also from Apoi and who is the PDP senatorial candidate.”
Vanguard also learned that the lawmaker representing Odigbo, Oke-Igbo, Ile-Oluji Constituency, Mayowa Akinfolarin has not openly endorsed and given support to the party’s candidate after losing the primary election to Jimoh Ibrahim.
A party leader, who spoke with Vanguard, said “the consequence of this development is that since both Senate and Reps are unlikely to be in the same local government, APC Reps’ work will be undermined.
Out of all those who lost out at the NASS primary, only Idowu Mafimisebi from Ilaje and Segun Ayerin from Okitipupa have collapsed their structures and agreed to work for the candidates of the party in next year’s election.
However, the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, has appealed to aggrieved aspirants to put the party ahead of personal interests.
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