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Months after election, supremacy battle rocks Ogun APC

By Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head, South West Bureau, Ibadan)
01 September 2019   |   4:30 am
There is growing disquiet among members of Ogun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the seeming advantage that members of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have in securing federal appointments compared with those of the ruling party....

Dapo Abiodun

There is growing disquiet among members of Ogun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the seeming advantage that members of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have in securing federal appointments compared with those of the ruling party, under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, and by extension, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo.

APM is the party of erstwhile members of APC, who transferred their loyalty to the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Ibikunke Amosun. The party was formed on the eve of last general elections because of the crisis that arose after the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun as the governorship candidate of the APC.

Sources said despite the fact that APM’s governorship candidate, Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade was still challenging Abiodun’s victory at the tribunal, APM members and those in the APC that are loyal to Amosun are being favoured in federal appointments, while loyalists of former governor Olusegun Osoba and Abiodun are still waiting and hoping .

A source close to Abiodun said it was a big slap on the face of APC loyalists in the state to see Olamilekan Adegbite making the ministerial list, and Leke Adewolu, who contested for the House of Representatives seat in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, under the platform of the APM in the last election being appointed Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Other Amosun loyalists enjoying federal appointments include, the Executive Chairman, NDIC, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun, and Nigeria’s Postmaster General, Bisi Adegbuyi, while Osoba and Abiodun are yet to get any federal appointment for their loyalists.

Investigations revealed that most politicians in the state prefer to hobnob with Amosun, whom they believe has patronage to dispense, than with Governor Abiodun, whom they said is “only in government but not in power.”

It was also gathered that promises made by Amosun that his list for board appointments had been approved by the Presidency had further weakened Abiodun’s political base, who is still finding it difficult to constitute his cabinet.

Sources said the suspended executive members of the APC headed by Chief Derin Adebiyi, were still calling the shots in the state. Indeed, it was Adebiyi that signed an invite that allowed select members to enter Aso Rock for the swearing in of the new ministers,

But immediately after the event, the chairman of the caretaker committee set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, Chief Yemi Sanusi, issued a disclaimer reminding the public that Adebiyi had since December 18, 2018 been suspended by the party.

Sources said Abiodun has also been making some political moves to counter Amosun’s threat to make governance difficult for him. The source cited the decampment of PDP members loyal to former governor Gbenga Daniel to APC last week, as one of the efforts to strengthen Abiodun’s political base.

The source said: “Amosun has been making governance difficult for Abiodun because of his strong connection to the President. In fact, there was a move to rally round some politicians for him in Remo, but most of them did not want to show up because Amosun has promised to get them federal appointments.

“But joining the APC by the former deputy governor, Salimot Badru, who led OGD’s political family to the party will strengthen Abiodun’s political base now. Though there are also some strong political groups, especially from Ogun West that may also join forces to rescue Abiodun from Amosun’s political machination.

What still remains a mystery to many of us is why President Buhari would still do anything for Amosun even when the man was working against the APC in Ogun State. We are also very uncomfortable with the lacklustre attitude of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is yet to check the excesses of Amosun,” the source added.

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