As politicians in Ondo State are preparing for the governorship election next year, there are indications that the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), may not get the ticket of the All Progressives Congress on a silver platter as many of his aides and party members are said to be against his second term ambition.

The governor has been having it rough in the party before and after the general elections.

Akeredolu was alleged not to be on the same page with some party leaders such as Senator Ajayi Boroffice, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi; a former chairman of the party, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, among others.

All the aggrieved leaders are allegedly working for the replacement of the governor ahead of next year governorship primary, which may make securing a second-term ticket of the party by Akeredolu difficult.

Also, the National Working Committee of the party, a few weeks ago, handed the governor a suspension following his alleged anti-party activities during the last general elections.

He was alleged to have supported the candidates of the Action Alliance for the Senate and House of Representatives’ elections in Ondo State.

It was alleged that Akeredolu’s alleged anti-party activities at the elections led to the defeat of the presidential election by the APC in the state.

A source told SUNDAY PUNCH that 13 of Akeredolu’s cabinet members recently met with the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; a South-West leader of the APC, Dr Pius Akintelure, and some leaders of the party to discuss who to support for the governorship election, apart from Akeredolu.

The source said Aregbesola and Akintelure represented the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at the meeting.

The source said some the 13 cabinet members at the meeting included some of Akeredolu’s commissioners and advisers.

He stated, “The top agenda of the meeting was how the ticket of the APC would not be given to the governor. The national leaders just want Akeredolu out of that office. They believe he cannot win election for us next year and we don’t want to lose Ondo in the governorship election.

“The 13 members of his cabinet came to Lagos to meet Asiwaju and some other leaders. They said they did not want Akeredolu again. They said aside from their monthly salaries, nothing is for them. They cannot sign contracts of N10,000 in their respective ministries. They said he spent the state money with his wife and cronies.

“They said the money coming from OSOPADEC monthly is being used to finance the office of his wife at the expense of the development of the riverside areas. People at the riverside areas are not happy with his government. We cannot win there.”

The source said the cabinet members had vowed to ensure that Akeredolu lost the party ticket, stating that the governor’s aides threatened to work against his re-election without leaving the party.

However, the state chairman of the APC, Mr Ade Adetimehin, said there was neither crisis anywhere in the government nor in the party, stressing that members were all working towards the progress and development of the party.

“I don’t think you are correct; there is no crisis in the Akeredolu’s government. We can all see the good things the government is doing in the state. If there is crisis, will he achieve those things?

“So, I don’t know where you get your information from but I am sure there is no crisis among the cabinet members,” Adetimehin stated.

Credit: The Punch