Ondo: Akeredolu’s Camp Jittery Over Assembly List

Palpable fear and tension have gripped the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led faction of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Ondo State over the possible alteration of the State Assembly candidates’ list it forwarded to the party’s national leadership for transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

FAZENOTETV gathered that some leaders of the party in Abuja have shown more than a passing interest in the list of the State Assembly candidates.

According to the investigation ,the  development might lead to a sharing formula among the four main interest groups within the party.

The Assembly list is likely to be shared among Akeredolu, Senator Ajayi Borofice, Segun Abraham and Olusola Oke may be unveiled by INEC this week.

It is feared in the Governor’s camp that such a sharing arrangement would keep their principal, in the minority in the scheme of things within the Assembly.

This is on the heels of renewed exchange of hot words between the governor and APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

This development is coming as the three House of Representative candidates in the south senatorial district have reportedly distanced themselves from the incumbent Senator, Yele Omogunwa.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Thursday, October 25, 2018, released the list of the authentic Senate and House of Representatives candidates for the forth-coming elections in the state.

Those listed as candidates include  the three senators from the State-Robert Ajayi Borofice(North), Donald Tayo Alasoadura(Central) as well as Yele Omogunwa(APC).

The House of Representatives candidates are as follows:

Akse/Sw:   Ade Adeogun

Akne/Nw:ojo  Tunji Olubunmi

Ose/Owo: Timehin  Adelegbe.

Akure:afe Olowookere.

Odigbo/Lel:  Mayowa Akinfolarin.

Ilaje/Ese Odo: Ojogo Donald

Okitipupa/Irele: Akintoye Albert.

Ondo: Jibayo Adeyeye

Idanre/Ifedore:  Bamidele White

But one of the Assembly aspirants familiar with the development and who may likely benefit from the possible sharing formula confided in our correspondent newsmen that the three prospective House of Representatives members have even devised means to separate their electioneering campaigns from Omogunwa’s on the ground that he was unpopular and might pose a threat to their chances of being elected.

“What I can tell you guys is that for now, the three Reps are just finding different means to adopt as campaign strategies because unlike their counterparts in the central and north who have a good ground to go round with their senatorial candidates, the situation in the south is a bit difficult.

“The funny aspect of it is that, while they can canvass for themselves and the president, a mention of the name Senator Omogunwa will scatter things because people don’t want him, it is as bad as that. The worst thing is that it is now the turn of Ileoluji Okeigbo local government to produce the Senator.

“Our fear is for this situation not to affect their chances and that of Mr President because the elections will take place the same day and you know what that means to the system.

“We would not have got to this level if not for the undiplomatic method the governor used by imposing people on the party in the initial stage. Don’t forget that he was not fighting Borofice alone, he wanted all the National and State Assembly seats so he imposed Lucky Ayedatiwa on us in the south as Senatorial candidate and that was the beginning of the problem there as the APC National leadership now came in to also nullify his interests.

“As he imposed Ayedatiwa, it was difficult for Ilaje to have both senate and Rep so it went to Ese-Odo. But what about Okitipupa Irele as well as Ileoluji Okeigbo? He did what he liked in those places too.So it is as bad as that. “The only way the APC can come out of this mess is to reverse itself and concede the senatorial slot to Ileoluji Okeigbo like the PDP has done. This because apart from the fact that Okitipupa Irele has done eight years, the candidature of Omogunwa is bad market for the APC.”