Probe anti-party allegations in Ondo APC – Elders

Concerned Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from four major factional groups at the weekend raised the alarm over alleged plan by the leadership of the party to work against the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the state.

The group is made up of Olanusi, Boroffice, Abraham and Kekemeke supporters who met at the Akure residence of the former Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi in Alagbaka,Akure.

They came from the three senatorial districts, urging the APC National Leadership to probe the secret campaign activities and funding of the rival Action Alliance(AA) especially in five constituencies in the state allegedly by Team Aketi and Ade Adetimehin-led Executive.

In a communique jointly signed after the emergency meeting by Olanusi, Isaacs Kekemeke,Chiefs Makinde Oguntona and Bode Sunmonu, the group alleged that their cladenstine moves were visible in Ondo North,Ondo South,Akoko Northeast/Northwest,Akoko Southwest/Southeast and Idanre/Ifedore House of Representatives seats.

According to the communique,” it is unnerving that INEC which had reported may not covered the primaries of AA in the state,in line with extant regulations went ahead to enlist the candidates for the general elections in the areas.

“Evidences and records exist of the support and funding of AA by Team Aketi,for instance,some of the AA candidates are people with strategic appointments in the Akeredolu’s led government.

“For Akeredolu to come clean of the alleged support of AA in the state,he needs to come out openly to campaign for the APC candidates in those five listed AA ‘infested’ constituencies’,anything short of that will affect the success of the President and APC candidates in those areas of the state”.

The APC leaders noted that the subterranance collation of list of party agents by Team Aketi and the Adetimehin led Exco suggested inimical moves.

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They therefore requested that candidates particularly those of the listed constituencies themselves should be allowed to collate and submit their own nominated party agents lists to INEC.

The communique reiterated the call for the dissolution of a caretaker committee that eiuls utilize the remaining period between now and the elections to reposition the party for victory in the next month election.

The group also flag off its door to door campaign on Saturday for the victory of Buhari and all other APC candidates in the 3,008 units in the state.

This according to the APC leaders was in support of the President and the National leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

However, the State Commissioner for Information, Yemi Olowolabi maintained that Akeredolu was fully in support of President Buhari’s re-election, describing the allegation of anti-party activities levelled against him as unfounded.

Also, the Ondo state coordinator of APC Presidential Support Committee (PSC) Olayide Adelami who attended the meeting at Alagbaka- Akure, described the allegation against Akeredolu as mere rumours.

He said he had met the governor in his capacity as PSC Coordinator, adding that Akeredolu expressed his commitment to work for the landslide victory of Buhari and other APC candidates.

Adelami assured that all the frictions within the ruling APC in the state would be resolved before the election.

Olanusi said there would be no room for any individual to derail APC in the state, urging the presidency to discreetly probe the allegation.

He said “We love Buhari because of his achievements and disposition, let us continue to fight this serious battle within us, and with your commitments, victory will come.

The APC stalwart said they had informed Abuja what was happening within Ondo APC,saying” it is left for them to verify and take action against anything that will affect the victory of the ruling APC in the stat