Akeredolu: How Buhari Helped Me Against Tinubu’s Forces

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Tuesday opened the lid on how he emerged governor of Ondo State in 2016 despite the strong opposition of the political establishment in the Southwest as led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Speaking when he played host to President Muhammadu Buhari in Ondo State on Tuesday, he said:

“You gave us support to be here. Without the president, we won’t be here. So, it’s your efforts sir that brought us to office that allowed this great work that our people now enjoy.”

Akeredolu spoke against the background of the vicious opposition to his emergence as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2016 governorship election.

Akeredolu was generally perceived to be the candidate of the Presidential Villa given the overt support he got from the then minister of solid minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who is presently the governor of Ekiti State.

Akeredolu who was strongly backed by Tinubu in his 2012 bid was, however, strongly opposed by the Tinubu camp in 2016. Tinubu reportedly backed Segun Abrahams.

While united against Akeredolu, the Tinubu camp, however, divided its forces as the camp splintered its forces along Abraham and two others.

Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu was said to have a soft spot for Senator Boroffice while Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was also said to have backed Chief Olusola Oke.

However, after Akeredolu emerged as candidate of the APC on the strong backing of the Abuja forces as led by Fayemi, the Tinubu camp backed Oke on the ticket of the Alliance for Democracy, AD in the main election.

It was, however, too late as Akeredolu still with the support of Abuja emerged in the main election.

However, all that seem to have been washed away now as Akeredolu and Tinubu seem to be on the same page politically.

Akeredolu was enthused with the president’s support on Tuesday as he said while welcoming the president to commission some of the legacies of his administration.

“I want to thank you for being part of today. Thank you, Mr. President and God, bless you all,” he said.

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