Ondo APC primary: How far can Team Aketi go?
Signs of things to come within the ranks and supporters of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State unveiled itself during last month’s visit of President Bola Tinubu. Supporters of many governorship aspirants other than those supporting Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa were attacked.
Billboards and campaign posters of many aspirants that adorned the streets of Akure were pulled down and destroyed. The action of the hoodlums and thugs was not unconnected with the battle to secure the ticket of the party in the primary scheduled for next month. It was also a pointer that the Ondo APC might implode.
The APC in Ondo State has subtly zoned its governorship ticket to the Ondo South senatorial district in line with the unwritten political arrangement in the state. Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko hails from Ondo Central, later former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu hails from Ondo North and the next governor is expected to hail from Ondo South. All the aspirants in the race to secure the APC governorship ticket are from the South.
They are former Finance Commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, business mogul, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Olusola Oke, a former NDDC Commissioner, Hon Olugbenga Edema, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mayowa Akinfolarin, a former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof Dayo Faduliye, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Chief Matthew Oyerinmade, Dr. Olamide Ohinyeye, amongst others.
Governor Aiyedatiwa has declared to run for a fresh term in office after completing the tenure of late Akeredolu in February of next year. He was sworn into office in December last year after the death of Akeredolu. His emergence followed months of intrigues and political imbroglio occasioned by the prolonged ill-health of the late Akeredolu. An intervention by President Bola Tinubu stopped the impeachment move by the Ondo State House of Assembly before the uneventful death of Akeredolu.
Aiyedatiwa does not enjoy the support of the Aketi Political family otherwise known as Team Aketi. During the political imbroglio occasioned by the illness of the late Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa was backed by so many forces including the Peoples Democratic Party. Others included some Abuja-based Ondo APC leaders who had been on the move to take over the party structure in the state.
During the declaration of Aiyedatiwa, key leaders of Team Aketi were absent. Also absent were seven members of the House of Representatives, senators, and other political leaders from the state.
Governor Aiyedatiwa understood the opposition he faced in the Ondo APC ahead of the primary when he said, “My dear people of Ondo State, the gubernatorial primary election is at hand. Your vote is a potent weapon that must be wisely used. We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this State by muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers who once governed this State handed to our generation.
“Today, I offer myself to lead, not to rule, to respect your wishes, not to dominate you, and to lead by example of humility, good character, and empathy, which I have demonstrated in office since 2021.”
Aiyedatiwa also reminded APC members and leaders that the late Akeredolu wished him his successor.
According to him, “I must re-echo what our late leader had always wished for in his lifetime. It was his wish that I succeed him, not in death though, as the next Governor of the State. He was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretense and so he expressed this wish at different fora in both public and private. All was with one conviction and implicit confidence in me to carry on the torch of accelerated development.
“I dare say too with a sense of humility that our departed leader would be proud of me as a worthy constitutional successor who has not derailed on the path of development we jointly pursued.”
However, Team Aketi is yet to break its silence since the passing of Akeredolu and the swearing-in of Aiyedatiwa.
Former spokesman of late Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde gave an insight into the thinking of Team Aketi. Olatunde, in a statement, insisted that his former boss had a strained relationship with Governor Aiyedatiwa before his death.
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Olatunde said Akeredolu’s ardent followers, including members of his family, do not support Governor Aiyedatiwa’s aspiration to clinch the ticket of the party.
He said the late Governor did not anoint or express any desire for Aiyedatiwa to succeed him adding that the relationship between the late Governor and Governor Aiyedatiwa became strained and distant until his passing.
“Despite attending to official matters and meeting people from Akure, the late Governor intentionally kept Mr. Aiyedatiwa, who was the deputy governor at the time, away from him in Ibadan.
“Our late Governor was deeply disappointed and regretful of certain behaviuors and character traits displayed by Mr. Aiyedatiwa during his health challenges, which ultimately led to his passing.
“One thing that discerning minds can clearly see is the turn of events in the latter half of last year. Trust was betrayed. Confidence was shattered. And the true colours of desperation overshadowed the good intentions of our late Governor. What followed was a tale of disappointment and betrayal. Our late leader, to say the least, was heartbroken before his demise.”
The Aketi Political family has proven its worth since 2016 when it defeated the ruling PDP. It repeated the feat in the 2020 governorship election and last year’s general election. However, the ill health and death of Akeredolu death a big blow to its organizational structure even though many of the structures remained intact.
It is not clear yet whose aspirant has the backing of the Aketi Political family and certainly not Governor Aiyedatiwa.
A loyalist of Akeredolu who pleaded anonymity said the Team Aketi political structure remained intact. The loyalists said the leaders were not happy but watching the turn of events.
“Whatever decision from Abuja on the choice of a candidate is what they will abide with. Aketi has his men at the unit, ward, and local government levels. The Aketi dynasty is a strong one. For him to be a man of his word means a lot to everybody. His loyalists are waiting.”
A lawmaker in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Olatunji Oshati, said there would be political realignment before and after the APC governorship primary.
Hon Oshati who is a supporter of Aiyedatiwa said the silence of Akeredolu before his death led to confusion among his followers before his death.
Oshati said it was unfortunate that Akeredolu was not around to state his own side when allegations were raised against Aiyedatiwa.
He said: “There had been misperception about those claiming to be Aketi Team. We are all Aketi Family. Most of us hold allegiance to the former Governor. It is unfortunate at the time of infighting within us the children, Oga was not around to tell his side of the story to the children. Those were part of the intrigues we are talking about. The oga we know we tell you off if you offend him. He was not around to tell the truth.
“We had doubt of the truth about allegations against Aiyedatiwa. We all heard when Akeredolu confessed that he believed and wanted his Deputy to succeed him. Any other endorsement was not clear to anybody.”
As the Ondo APC approaches, will Team Aketi get its pounds of flesh? Can it install its desired aspirant as the candidate of the party? Can it get back its supporters already with Aiyedatiwa? The coming weeks will tell.
