Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo North Senatorial district of the state has accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of using fund meant for mobilization of party members for the botched election of Saturday for the rival Action Alliance (AA).
But the governor has denied funding candidates of Action Alliance in the state, saying he was committed to the victory of the APC
The leaders from Akoko Northwest Local Government said APC would no doubt lose Saturday’s election to the rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) if the governor was still allowed to manage funds meant for the election.
In a statement by spokesperson of Leaders and Elders of APC in Akoko Northwest, Mr Apalowo Thalis said the governor had commissioned many APC leaders in the State for his personal political interest in the Action Alliance (AA).
Thalis said: “We consider the report that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu disbursed the money meant for Ondo APC to his political allies in Ondo AA as the height of anti-party activities. In Ondo North senatorial district and other parts of Ondo State, the money meant for APC was distributed to members of AA.
“In 2015, Ondo North senatorial district contributed 108,062 votes out of the 299,889 votes polled by the APC in Ondo State.The district, being the abode of the progressives has never been won over by the opposition.
“However, the task of increasing the number of votes polled in 2015 by over 50 per cent is being threatened by presumed friends of our party.
“Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is the principal threat to the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in Ondo State.
“It is a known fact that the leadership of AA in Ondo state has complied with the directive of their National leaders to work for the success of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and all PDP candidates in Ondo State.”
“Despite this reality, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has continued to finance the AA and its candidates in Ondo State. It therefore indicates that the governor is indirectly funding the presidential aspiration of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“As much as we respect the established hierarchy of the party, we wish to express our displeasure at the anti-party activities of the governor and the silence of the National leadership of the party.
However, in a swift reaction, the Commissioner for Information,Yemi Olowolabi denied the allegation,saying Akeredolu had been contributing towards ensuring victory for President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the APC.
Olowolabi in a statement noted that the governor had set up the best campaign team in the state, adding that the governor donated about 20 buses to the re-election campaign of the president.
The statement read in part: ” For the record, and perhaps to rescue Apalowo from the gully of distortions, especially this allegation that the governor is working against President Buhari, it is important to let the world know that Governor Akeredolu donated and branded over 20 buses to the Buhari\Osibajo campaigns in the state.
” The Governor also set up one of the best-equipped political campaign office in the south west region of the country. This is in addition to flooding the capital city and other major towns across the state with Buhari\Osibajo campaign billboards, while at the same time sponsoring radio and television commercials of the Buhari\Osibajo campaign.
” It is also on record that as the leader of the APC in the state, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, set up and inaugurated the Ondo State presidential campaign council made up of eminent leaders and members of the APC in Ondo State.
” He organized hugely successful political rallies in the state’s three senatorial districts in Owo, Akure and Ore respectively, between February 12 and 13, where he campaigned for the re-election of President Buhari and all the candidates of the APC, most of who were present at the rallies.
” Now to address the issue of disbursement which was mischievously distorted in Apalowo’s statement, the governor met with selected APC leaders on the eve of the postponed election, where funds meant for party agents and other logistics were released.
” Those who attended the meeting were party leaders drawn from the 18 local government areas. They were the APC party local government chairmen, women leaders and local government caretaker chairmen, and other three leaders, all of the APC from across the state.
” The governor would like to reassure his supporters, and indeed all loyal members of the APC all over the state that he remains committed to ensure the success of President Buhari and the party in the state at the polls.”
He urged all members of the APC in the state to continue working towards ensuring victory for all candidates of the party on Saturday.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure
