There are indications that Ondo state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), may not get the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the next year’s governorship election in the state, Herald Nigeria has learnt.
This is not unconnected to the strained relationship he has with many of his aides and party members before and after the general elections.
The governor was said to be at loggerheads with Akeredolu was alleged not to be on the same page with some party leaders such as Senator Ajayi Boroffice, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi; a former chairman of the party, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, among others.
It was learnt that the aggrieved leaders are working for the replacement of the governor.
His chances went slimmer following his suspension by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for alleged anti-party activities during the last general elections.
He was alleged to have supported the candidates of the Action Alliance for the Senate and House of Representatives’ elections in Ondo State.
Akeredolu’s alleged anti-party activities were also said to have led to the defeat of the presidential election by the APC in the state.
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A source, which confided in The Punch, said 13 of Akeredolu’s cabinet members recently met with the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; a South-West leader of the APC, Dr Pius Akintelure, and some leaders of the party to discuss who to support for the governorship election, apart from Akeredolu.
The source said Aregbesola and Akintelure represented the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at the meeting.
He stated, “The top agenda of the meeting was how the ticket of the APC would not be given to the governor. The national leaders just want Akeredolu out of that office. They believe he cannot win election for us next year and we don’t want to lose Ondo in the governorship election.
“The 13 members of his cabinet came to Lagos to meet Asiwaju and some other leaders. They said they did not want Akeredolu again. They said aside from their monthly salaries, nothing is for them. They cannot sign contracts of N10,000 in their respective ministries. They said he spent the state money with his wife and cronies.
“They said the money coming from OSOPADEC monthly is being used to finance the office of his wife at the expense of the development of the riverside areas. People at the riverside areas are not happy with his government. We cannot win there.”
The source said the cabinet members had vowed to ensure that Akeredolu lost the party ticket, stating that the governor’s aides threatened to work against his re-election without leaving the party.
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