By Banji Ayoola
The Ondo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has exonerated the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, from blame over the defeat suffered in the state by its candidate in the last presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari.
It made the defence in a statement by its state Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro, against the backdrop of allegation by a former Deputy Governor of the state, and a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, that Buhari lost the state because of the anti-party activities of the party’s leadership before and during the general elections.
The party described the allegation by Olanusi and his “cohorts” as “a trump up story and figment of their own imagination.”
It also said that the statement which, particularly hung Buhari’s loss in the state on Akeredolu “was not, in any way, sensible.”
Final results of the Presidential election in Ondo state as declared by Professor Kayode Soremekun, showed that Buhari polled 241 ,769 votes against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s, PDP, candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s 275 ,901.
Further breakdown of the results showed that registered voters were 1,812 ,567; accredited voters, 598,586; total valid votes, 555,984; rejected votes, 30,833; and total cast votes 586,827.
Firstly, it should be noted that Alhaji Ali Olanusi has never been on the same page with the party leadership in the state ditto, Governor Akeredolu. Ali Olanusi, therefore, can not be a credible commentator on anything done by the party in the state or the Governor.
According to the APC in its statement: “This spurious allegation, also, claimed that Arakunrin Akeredolu diverted the fund disbursed to Ondo state by the national leadership of the party for the 2019 general election to other things
and that the Governor was the major financier of the Action Alliance party, (AA), in Ondo state.
“Thereafter, it went further to advise the national leadership to probe the said anti-party activities of the Governor before the 2020 Ondo governorship election.
“With these statements they have brought to fore their secret agitation against Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who has refused to do their biddings.
“We should be reminded that Alhaji Ali Olanusi received several millions of naira from the present APC-led government in Ondo State to offset his accumulated salary arrears over his removal from office by the previous administration.
“Alhaji Ali Olanusi would refuse to acknowledge the governor’s quick response to his plight, rather, he countered with contempt. He demanded for more money. When he was denied, though, knowing fully well the government has paid in excess of the amount due him in emolument and other benefits as directed by the court, he became dissatisfied and turned himself into a critic of the government and an enemy of our party.
“Ali Olanusi did not only lose his constituency 2 to the opposition, two wards in his town, Supare Akoko were actually won by Taju Falana of the Action Alliance, AA, which happens to be the only ward won by AA in Ondo State. So the question is who is working for AA in his area?
“We have it on record that Alhaji Ali Olanusi is cooking up a grandiose plan to present a puppet candidate ahead of the 2020 governorship election in the state. He is welcome to that, however, he doesn’t have to heat up the polity over such matter of a white elephant project.
“Let it be known, and emphatically so, our party leadership will not succumb to their cheap blackmail and terrible lies told around. We will not stoop low to banter with them, or be intimidated by their silly, immature, childish outburst and defamation of character. We would not be cowed, nor subject ourselves to their whims and caprices. We only owe the public an explanation. That is what necessitated this response.
“We have it on record that Ali Olanusi has not used his position as the Chairman Benin/Owena River Basin to generate one employment opportunity for anyone in the state, let alone create empowerment opportunity for people in his area.
“Clearly stated, Alhaji Ali Olanusi is a deceitful individual.
“This same deceit which characterised his rebellion against three former governors in the state is, again, rearing its head against Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. This is appalling.
“We have it on record that Alhaji Ali Olanusi is an itinerant trouble maker. He was at a logger head with Chief Adebayo Adefarati, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. That he lost out In all of these battles is enough lesson to learn from, but alas, he never learns from his past. His proclivity for crises at his age, and, as an elder statesman, is worrisome.
“We are advising Alhaji Ali Olanusi to desist from his present habit of constituting himself as an enemy of the party he claims to belong to and behave as a true statesman open to true society growth, more so, being a former Deputy Governor and a member of our party’s prestigious Board of Trustees.”
