Amosun loses out as APC rejects his guber candidate

The bid of Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, to choose his successor has suffered a setback as the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared Dapo Abiodun winner of the party’s governorship primary poll in the state.

The state chapter of the APC had declared Abiodun Akinlade as winner of the governorship primary election after conducting a parallel exercise.

Akinlade is the preferred candidate of Amosun.

Taiwo Adeoluwa, secretary to the Ogun state government, had accused Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), of planning to impose a governorship candidate on party members.

Justifying why the party conducted its own exercise, Derin Adebiyi, state chairman of the party, said: “They arrived on Monday and at the meeting held at the MITROS Suites, Ibara, Abeokuta, the NWC panel told us the primary would hold on Tuesday.

“The party members were all in their wards waiting for the NWC panel, but they never showed up.”

But in a statement issued by Yekini Nabena, acting spokesman of the APC, the ruling party said Abiodun is its candidate.

“The national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) announces Mr. Dapo Abiodun as winner of the party’s Ogun state governorship primaries,” the statement read.

Nabena said Abiodun polled 102,305 to win the election.

He said Jimi Lawal, Kunle Akinlade, Bimbo Ashiru Adegbenga Kaka and Abayomi Koroto polled 51,153; 23, 443; 29, 764; 17, 771; and 9, 610 respectively.

Amosun was among aggrieved APC governors who met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the controversial primaries.