Prominent politicians in Ogun State have dismissed recent reports suggesting that some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains met with President Bola Tinubu to adopt consensus governorship aspirants for the South West, describing the claims as mere “personal opinions intended to test the waters.”
The stakeholders, in their reactions, described the narratives, which appeared in a national newspaper, as a desperate attempt to hoodwink other contenders into dropping their ambitions.
They further asserted that any such game plan is “dead on arrival,” noting that the amended Electoral Act is very clear on how consensus candidates can emerge.
The controversial report had suggested that party leaders settled on the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat; the Senator representing Ogun West, Olamilekan Adeola (known as Yayi); and the Senator representing Oyo South, Sharafadeen Alli, as the consensus choices for their respective states.
Reacting to the report, Dr. Akin Ogunsanwo dismissed the story as the antics of politicians who are afraid of a transparent party process. He clarified that, contrary to the report’s claims, the President was not even physically present at the meeting where these agendas were discussed.
Dr. Ogunsanwo expressed disappointment that a courtesy visit to felicitate with the President after Ramadan was being used to spin what he termed “toxic reports” designed to dissuade other aspirants.
In his reaction, Mr. Adio Opeloyeru from Abeokuta noted that discerning minds could easily detect the fault lines in the story. He argued that President Tinubu would not involve himself in such a scheme without the input of state party leaders and the aspirants themselves.
Opeloyeru specifically criticised the interference of Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, whom he accused of aggressively pushing for the acceptance of Senator Adeola in Ogun State.
He said, “While I will not talk of their permutations for other states, I am very specific that their thinking for Ogun State is not feasible. I see this as a continuation of the agenda of the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele for Ogun State. He was in the state recently where he practically begged people to accept his friend, Yayi, as indigene of the state and allow him as consensus candidate for the party.
He said, “We all know the reactions that trailed his interference in Ogun State politics even from our highly revered deputy governor, Alhaja Noimot and other stakeholders from the state.”
He also dismissed claims regarding Governor Dapo Abiodun’s succession plans as a “charade,” noting that the Governor has not discussed such matters with anyone and that the permutations regarding Ogun Central were logically inconsistent.
“The story was spin to give impression that Governor Abiodun has been coerced to accept Yayi as consensus candidate and drop any plan he has on his own. It is laughable.”
Also, Ogun West Renaissance Movement (OWRM) issued a statement through its coordinator, Amos Adegbite, rejecting what they termed the “orchestrated plans” to impose an “imported politician” on the Yewa people.
Despite the fact that one of their own was named in the report, the group insisted that they would only endorse a candidate through a democratic process at the appropriate time.
They maintained that the people’s eyes are “very clear” and they would not be coerced by external efforts to foist a candidate on the state, ultimately reaffirming their commitment to a fair and open primary.
