Opposition against Akeredolu’s APC ticket thickens

• Abraham urges cancellation of primary election
• Two chairmen resign over exercise
• Factional PDP sets up committee on running-mate
• Accord Party aspirant condemns ‘money politics’
Opposition against the emergence of Rotimi Akeredolu as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State is getting more complicated.

Aspirant Olusegun Abraham, who congratulated him shorthly after last Saturday’s primary election, yesterday withdrew his support, saying the process was marred by irregularities.

In the same vein, some APC chairmen in the state resigned their positions over what some party leaders said was the outcome of the primary.

Recanting his congratulatory message to Akeredolu, Abraham called for cancellation of the primary.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Akure yesterday by his campaign Director-General, Mr. Olu Adegboro and the media aide, Mr. Sayo Aluko, Abraham said his new stance was based on emerging facts and controversies that trailed the primary election.

According to him: “It is no longer news that as a true democrat, imbued with the best spirit of sportsmanship, I congratulated Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who purportedly emerged candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the September 3, gubernatorial primary election in Ondo State.

“To this end, the outcome of the September 3 APC governorship primaries in Ondo State is unacceptable and I hereby appeal against same.”

Besides, an aspirant of Accord Party (AP) for the governorship election in the state, Ola Amuda, has condemned the use of money to induce the electorate.

Speaking with journalists at the party’s headquarters in Abuja yesterday after picking his nomination form, Amuda promised to diversify the economy of the state by focusing on agriculture if elected governor.

He said his decision to contest the election was based on his desire to serve the people.

Ondo Central Senatorial Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Gboyega Adedipe, has resigned his position following the declaration of Akeredolu as candidate for the governorship election.

His resignation was confirmed by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Abayomi Adesanya, in Akure.

He said: “I can confirm to you that Mr. Adedipe has resigned as chairman of Ondo Central Senatorial District of the APC. He said he took the decision for the peace and progress of the party.”

However, a source told The Guardian that Adedipe resigned following the emergence of Akeredolu as candidate of the party. “He and his chairman (Kekemeke) were disappointed by the emergence of Akeredolu and they know that with Akeredolu being the candidate of the party, Kekemeke remains impeached.

“They know that they would be dealt with by Akeredolu. That is why he (Adedipe) quickly tendered his resignation letter to avoid embarrassment,” the sourced said.

In the same vein, Kekemeke, who had been removed by the two-thirds majority of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party before the primary, has evacuated his personal belongings from the party’s secretariat.

According to a source: “All his photos on the walls of the secretariat have been removed. This means he has nothing to do with the secretariat again.”

In another development, the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has constituted an 11-man committee to pick the running mate of their governorship candidate, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had stayed away from the controversial primary election organised by the faction

The factional chairman, Mr. Biyi Poroye, at a press conference in Akure, said the Director-General of the Jimoh Ibrahim campaign committee alongside other committees would be unveiled and inaugurated next week.

The chairman listed some of the committees to include manifestoes, fund-raising, research, media, strategic, mobilisation, security and transport committees, among others.

He, however, congratulated Akeredolu for his emergence as APC flagbearer, acknowledging that the party has moved away from its former inclinations to join the league of truly democratic parties in the state.