What Does Tinubu Want In Ondo?

By Chuks Ekpeneru

When Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state governor and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) this week declared that he was not backing any of the aspirants for the forthcoming Ondo governorship election it eased tension.

Before then, it was widely speculated that the Jagaban was backing his long time friend and associate, Segun Abraham.

It was feared that Tinubu with the support of the former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole was working to ensure Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was not returned for a second term.

The Tinubu factor had re-echoed before the 2012 election when former Governor Olusegun Mimkio turned against Tinubu after he emerged as governor on the ticket of Labour and subsequently switched to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Tinubu camp had vowed to unseat Mimiko using Akeredolu as candidate of the former Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. However, the Mimiko camp rode on the mantra Ondo Is Not Lagos and survived the onslaught.

By 2016 the relationship between Tinubu and Akeredolu had turned cold and Tinubu refused to back him. Remarkably, the overconfident Tinubu camp was divided into various groups with some backing Olusola Oke, Senator Ajayi Borroffice and Segun Abraham.

Akeredolu rode through the division to win the ticket and eventually win the election.

Akeredolu was seriously supported by Governor Kayode Fayemi who was at that time minister of solid minerals.

The emergence of Akeredolu was one of the issues that led to the quarrel between Tinubu and the then national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

With the countdown to the 2020 election, Akeredolu seems to have known the power of the presidency. Without slighting Tinubu, he is banking on Abuja again.

The governor’s case is further helped as Tinubu man in the party, Oshiomhole has been eased out.

Also, the Unity Forum, a group of APC governorship aspirants in Ondo State opposed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s return bid seem to have scattered as they seem not to have found backing with either Tinubu or Abuja.

Tinubu in his declaration on Ondo, said that he desires a free, fair and credible primary that is run according to the dictates of internal democracy and is devoid of bias for or against any candidate.

What was thought as a disadvantage for Tinubu in the reported disqualification of Abraham by the screening committee has been reversed by the Appeals Committee, meaning that the Jagaban still has a card to play in the APC sweepstake coming ahead.

Whatever, Tinubu just like his 2023 rival, Fayemi want the support of whosoever is governor of the state and that for the two camps is the issue ahead.

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