National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was on Saturday conspicuously absent at the party’s mega rally held at the Democracy Park, Akure, Ondo State.
The rally, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, was for Rotimi Akeredolu, the APC candidate for the November 26 Ondo governorship election.
Also absent were Tinubu’s loyalists, Governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Rauf Aregbesola of Lagos and Osun states respectively.
Tinubu’s rejection of Akeredolu’s candidacy has seen him subtly backing Olusola Oke who dumped the APC to contest the election on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
The former governor of Lagos State had accused the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, of manipulating the process that saw Akeredolu emerge candidate.
Buhari was however joined at the rally by the governors of Ogun, Edo, Plateau, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kano and Imo states, Ibikunle Amosun, Godwin Obaseki, Simon Lalong, Mohammed Abubakar, Tanko Al Makura, Yahaya Bello, Abdullahi Ganduje and Rochas Okorocha respectively.
Also in attendance were Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf; immediate past Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole; former Ekiti governors, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi; Senators Isiaka Adeleke and Joshua Dariye and Odigie-Oyegun among others.
Dismissing whatever anybody may have against Akeredolu’s emergence, Buhari said the APC governorship primary held on September 3 was free and fair. He maintained that the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman was a credible person.
“I am here in Akure because I am proud of my party and I have to congratulate Akeredolu for emerging as the candidate of our party through a free and fair primary.
“God willing, he is going to win the election. Make sure you vote for him; do not vote for any other party. We are going to win the election,” Buhari declared.
Despite what is public knowledge, Okorocha told the crowd that all the state governors of the party were behind Akeredolu.
“We are together, we are indivisible. Ondo State must join the progressive states in Nigeria. Therefore, we must vote for Akeredolu to win the election.
“Akeredolu rejected federal appointments because he loves you people. He wants to serve the people of Ondo. So, vote for him,” he said.
Saraki also urged the people of the state to work for the APC candidate to win the election.
“I assure you that many benefits will come to Ondo from the government at the centre if you vote for Akeredolu. You will feel the impact of the Federal Government,” the Senate president said.
Akeredolu, while addressing the crowd, said he would ensure the creation of employment for the youth in the state.
He said, “We can’t belong to another place other than the APC. If we want to maximise our natural resources, we must belong to the government at the centre. Don’t vote for a party that is an ‘orphan’, vote for the APC.”
Buhari had earlier assured indigenes of the state of federal appointments.
Speaking at the palace of the Deji of Akure, Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, during a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler, the president said “not giving federal appointment to any indigene from this kingdom is not deliberate.”
