Renewed rivalry and bickering between Governor Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun may affect the electoral prospects of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State.
Some pundits observed that the rift between the two allies-turned enemies could facilitate downfall of the APC and enhance electoral chances of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the coveted seat in Abeokuta.
Recently, Amosun contended that the 2019 election was rigged in favour of Abiodun, boasting that the governor would be defeated in the 2023 gubernatorial election.
“You know clearly my stand on this matter. Just wait, very soon you will hear from us. My stand is where I stand, I am not in support of this administration; he must be removed,” Amosun had said.
In his reaction, Governor Abiodun dismissed the threat, saying he would not be disturbed by it.
“I will not be distracted by any person who does not appreciate that Ogun State is not anybody’s father’s inheritance, we are all stakeholders in this commonwealth called Ogun State,” the governor stated.
While the embers of the crisis are being fanned, the opposition PDP in the state is wooing Amosun’s supporters to its fold.
It was gathered that the PDP has conceded about five tickets to the loyalists of Amosun.
An associate of Amosun and the former governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, and other supporters of the former governor have already joined the opposition.
The PDP had conceded its deputy governorship ticket to Akinlade as part of their arrangement prior to the defection.
It was gathered that the PDP, last Saturday, asked five candidates for the Ogun State House of Assembly to withdraw their candidacies for Amosun’s loyalists.
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A source said two seats at the Abeokuta South and three others were conceded, adding that new primaries were held to replace them.
“It is true that some party leaders from the headquarters came to Abeokuta last week to conduct another primary after five candidates were told to step down. The party realised that apart from Akinlade who got the deputy governorship slot, more slots should be conceded to them.
“We made use of the INEC substitution window which closed on August 11. The group was also given a senatorial slot. A strong candidate was fielded from Ogun West to face the APC candidate,” PUNCH quoted a source in the party as saying.
The Ogun State PDP Youth leader, Sunkanmi Oyejide, said the party would wrestle power from the APC in 2023.
“We will show the people what they have missed since PDP left power. We will let them know that since 2011, the APC has crippled local governments,” he said.
Some notable APC chieftains who have left the party with their supporters are the member of the House of Representatives for Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Kola Lawal; a former House of Reps member, Mikky Kazeem; a former chairman Ijebu North Local Government, Majid Ekelojumati; and a former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Tola Banjo.
However, Ogun State APC Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, dismissed the threat of the opposition, saying the party’s chances remained very bright just like 2019.
“They openly signed Memorandum of Understanding to work together and ridiculously shared offices even before the election, so the realignment being touted is merely a renewal of their moribund and ill-fated MoU,” Oladunjoye said.
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