Ondo APC crisis: Ondo senator fires back Akeredolu

THE lawmaker representing Ondo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, on Monday accused the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, of polarising and alienated some party leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.

Boroffice who stated this in a statement issued and signed by his Media Assistant, Kayode Fakuyi, said that all is not well with the state chapter of the party because of the alleged high handedness of the governor on issues relating to the party.

According to him, Akeredolu has been threatening leaders and supporters of the party with a contrary opinion to his own with expulsion rather than giving rooms for reconciliation in the party.

Boroffice traced the genesis of the crisis rocking the party to the primary election that produced Akeredolu as the governorship candidate of the APC in 2016, saying despite his controversial emergence, he still voted for Akeredolu on the election.

He said the statement became necessary following a statement credited to Akeredolu during the unification rally in Akure, where he said he had not been working with the party in the state.

The statement read “the attitude of the governor to other party leaders in Ondo State, who do not see issues from his perspective, has unfortunately polarized the Ondo State chapter of the party and alienated a critical mass of the party leadership and supporters as well.

“Based on the above-referenced developments, Senator Boroffice is of the view that all is not well with All Progressives Congress in the Sunshine State.

” Rather than embrace the challenges of leadership and reach out to every leader of the party in Ondo State, the governor preferred to run the government of Ondo State and the party with his trifling followership.

“The governor continues to erroneously lay claim to the ownership of the party and continues to threaten other party leaders with a threat of expulsion from the party.

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Governor Akeredolu had in a statement by the Information Commissioner, Yemi Olowolabi that the duo of Senators Alasoadura and Yele Omogunwa had been the only senators from the state who have been working with him since the inception of his administration in February 2017.

Boroffice however, disagreed with the governor on the statement, noting that he had not received any invitation from the governor to attend any state events or party meetings in the state.

The Senator specifically said that he had rallied his colleagues in the Senate to support the governor on his two private communications to the upper house for confirmation of appointments in the interest of the party people of the state despite the underlying differences.

He called on the national leadership of the Party to wade into the crisis rocking the party in the state saying, ” it is our collective will and unity of purpose that have taken us this far and to destroy the legacy is to destroy the great bond that binds us together as members of the APC

“There can be no justice when someone appropriates our commonwealth and violates our common law (APC Constitution, 2014 as amended) that binds us together.

“We, therefore, call on the National Leadership of our great party to urgently intervene in the crisis plaguing the Ondo State chapter of the party.

“We cannot afford to sweep under the carpet issues polarising the APC in Ondo State as we move into another round of congresses and elections.

“It is for this reason that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has called for the reconciliation of leaders and resolutions of disputed issues. This is the wise road to travel and we cannot dissent.”