… Members Are Known Supporters Of Aiyedatiwa
… Our Intention Is To Guide Our Members – Ilori
Controversies continue to assail the endorsement of the gubernatorial aspiration of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo state, by the APC Aborigines, a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Members of the group, who claim to be foundation members of the APC, include people like Ajayi Borrofice, Sola Iji and Bola Ilori among others.
However, other APC governorship aspirants and leaders are up for the jugular of this group, describing its endorsement of Aiyedatiwa as misleading and redundant.
Speaking on Wednesday on a national television programme, Benson Enikuomehin, a legal practitioner, said the Aborigine group was unknown to the constitution of the APC.
Enikuomehin similarly devalued the purported criteria used by the group to arrive at the decision to support Aiyedatiwa.
The criteria, according to him, were educational background, integrity, financial capacity to fund election, ability to win election and contribution to the party.
The legal practitioner wondered how Jimoh Ibrahim, a PhD holder, and Olusola Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, would be rated lower than Aiyedatiwa with alleged fake WAEC certificate.
He also stated that access to public funds would only make Aiyedatiwa to overspend others in the contest.
“APC is an amalgamation of five political parties. The Aborigines claimed to be members of the AD, which was not part of the formation of the APC.
“If Oke ran in the past on the platform of AD, then, he is an Aborigine. Members of the Aborigines lack the moral right to evaluate aspirants, as they cannot be fair, equitable and just. They have always been part of the supporters of Aiyedatiwa.
“Ilori told Tinubu when he came to Ondo State on condolence visit to Akeredolu’s family that he was supporting Aiyedatiwa”.
“Oke informed Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa he was going to run. The law of first mention favours Oke,” he said.
Enikuomehin was unequivocal that the people of Ondo South would not lend their support to Aiyedatiwa’s aspiration.
He emphasised that Aiyedatiwa’s pursuit of reelection would shortchange the Southern Senatorial District, given that he only has one term left to serve.
The legal practitioner pointed out that since Aiyedatiwa has already succeeded his late predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and being sworn in as governor, he can only hold the position for one additional term.
Enikuomehin said the desire of Ondo South’s people is to have a governor who would have the opportunity and mandate to govern for eight years.
He argued that the Central Senatorial district enjoyed an eight-year tenure during the Mimiko regime, while the Northern Senatorial District had nearly seven years under the late Rotimi Akeredolu.
The lawyer believed that the Southern part of the state would be at a disadvantage if Governor Aiyedatiwa were re-elected.
Credit: The Public
