The closest rival to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State in the 2019 governorship election, Honourable Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade, on Tuesday said his decision on whether or not to contest under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections will be decided by the national leaders of the party.
Akinlade, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen shortly after a meeting in Ilaro with leaders of the APC in Ogun West Senatorial district.
According to him, Governor Abiodun, being the sitting governor has the right of first refusal, saying, however, that some issues are currently being resolved at the national level.
“It is very clear that a sitting governor in any party has the right of first refusal, and His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun has that right in 2023. But there are salient issues being resolved presently in the party. If those issues are resolved favourably and there is an opportunity for someone from Ogun West, I will contest,” he said.
Asked if his followers would not be demoralised by his decision, the former House of Representatives member stated that: “Politics is not one that you need to deceive people. I need to let my people know the truth. If people had worked with me, people died supporting me in 2019, I owe them that much to be truthful to them.
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“Though it’s a difficult word, one I needed to tell them myself; not that somebody has to speculate. I need to come and tell my people that if what we are looking at goes through and there is an opportunity, I will come out to mobilise my people and I will run. But if the petition is jettisoned by the party and the party decides otherwise, we will stand with the party. That is the directive of our leader, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.”
Earlier at the meeting, Akinlade called on Ogun West leaders to drop their support for any gubernatorial aspirant in 2023, asking them to join hands in getting the coast clear first.
Leaders at the Apex meeting in Ilaro had thought that Akinlade came to declare his interest to run, but they were taken aback when he said, “should the party decide to present Gov Abiodun as the flagbearer despite the constitutional infractions levelled against him, then there will be no need to put anyone forward from Ogun West.”
He further admonished the leaders to come together and reach out to the national chairman of APC for a favourable consideration of the petition before him.
It was gathered that a leader of the party in Ogun State had submitted a petition before the APC National Working Committee, highlighting why the incumbent Gov Abiodun should not be allowed to be the party’s candidate in 2023.
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